Apple’s Nest Hub rival may be delayed as Siri overhaul drags on

Apple fans may have been looking forward to its long-rumored smart home display, which could rival devices like the Google Nest Hub or Amazon Echo Show. Those fans may need to brace themselves for bad news, as a new report suggests the device has been delayed again while Apple continues working on a major overhaul of Siri.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has pushed back the launch of its smart home display, codenamed J490, because the next-generation version of Siri, which is expected to power much of the experience, still isn’t ready. The device was expected to arrive imminently, but Apple is now said to be targeting a release closer to September.

The hardware itself has reportedly been finished for several months, but Apple doesn’t want to ship the device without the upgraded Siri experience. Siri sits at the center of Apple’s broader AI strategy, and the company has already pushed back several promised features tied to the assistant.

The display is described as a square, iPad-like device with a roughly 7-inch screen that can either be mounted on a wall or attached to a half-dome speaker base. It’s designed to act as a central hub for controlling smart home devices and accessing information around the house, and reportedly includes facial recognition that can identify who approaches and surface personalized details, such as calendar appointments and music preferences.

The device is expected to be the first in a broader push into smart home hardware. Bloomberg reports that Apple is also working on additional products tied to its AI efforts, including a version of the display attached to a robotic arm, along with new HomePod and Apple TV hardware.

Apple is now reportedly aiming to have the revamped Siri ready around the time it launches the iPhone 18 Pro later this year. If that timeline holds, the smart display could arrive around the same period, potentially running a variation of the next version of tvOS expected in September.