Apple‘s long-rumored smart home accessory, sometimes dubbed the HomePad, has just become a little more real.
Macworld was able to obtain “leaked internal Apple code,” finding several references to the new gadget (no reference to its name, though, but HomePad does have a nice ring to it.)
In a pre-release iOS 26 build, this smart home hub is referenced by the codename J490. It’s listed as having Apple’s A18 chip inside, as well as a front-facing, ultra-wide camera with Center Stage. The camera will be limited to 1080p video, similar to the cameras on iPads and Macs.
Perhaps more notably, the device will also have Face ID biometrics, which could be used to recognize users and set profiles depending on who’s interacting with the device.
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Apple Intelligence will also be on board, and this includes a more advanced version of Siri which can keep up a natural conversation with the user.
The device is listed as coming in 2026; previous rumors pointed to a possible launch next spring.
Macworld said they were able to find references to another, “never-before-seen” smart home product, codenamed J229. Details are slim on this one, besides it having multiple sensors, a built-in camera. Notably, it’s not identified as a standalone device but an accessory.
A few months ago, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman wrote that Apple is working on an in-home security camera that’s designed to work together with the smart home hub, as well as a smart doorbell with facial recognition. The mysterious new device could be one of these, though it’s probably coming later; the end of next year “at the soonest,” Gurman wrote.
