What is the rumoured Apple ‘HomePad’ smart home panel? What we know so far

Apple is reportedly plotting a wall-mounted tablet-like device that’ll be used to help control smart home appliances, according to a new report.

Bloomberg’s reliable Apple watcher Mark Gurman reckons Apple is planning to launch a HomePad-style device that would act as a “command centre for the home.”

The new report days the device will be equipped with Apple Intelligence AI skills, offer control of HomeKit accessories, support voice commands through Siri, and enable FaceTime video calls.

Is it coming soon?

While such a device has been rumoured for a while, the most surprising element of Gurman’s report is that this device might be imminent.

Gurman writes: “The company is gearing up to announce the device as early as March and will position it as a command centre for the home, according to people with knowledge of the effort. The product, code-named J490, also will spotlight the new Apple Intelligence AI platform, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the work is confidential.”

A rapid launch would be a significant escalation of Apple’s smart home hardware policy and we’d be excited to hear the pitch to potential owners. A launch at WWDC in June next year feels like a more natural fit than March though. At its annual conference, Apple could debut the software and make a pitch to third-party developers to get involved.

Small but capable

The display will be relatively small, according to the report, perhaps surprisingly so. It may only be six-inches in size and, by the sounds of it, with a squarer form factor.

That wouldn’t make it much bigger than a panel you might see for security cameras, locks or thermostats. However, Apple still wants to enable users to access the News, Apple Music and Safari apps too.

It will have a rechargeable battery, include a small speaker and be mostly self-sufficient, but could connect with other speakers close to where it is placed, the report says.

Gurman states there’ll be “bases with additional speakers that can be placed in the kitchen, on a nightstand or on a desk.”

Who’s in the room?

The device could also have the ability to sense how many people are in the room, Gurman says, thanks to external sensors plugged into wall outlets.

It’s not clear what kind of functionality this will serve, but it’s possible Apple might activate certain features and turn off others when there are more, less or no people present. There are plenty of way’s Apple could go with this. Perhaps the presence of one family member’s iPhone would see the panel default to their preferences? Perhaps a NFC-based tap would switch the profile to another family member? However, that’s just conjecture on our part.

Software wise, an experience akin to the iPhone’s StandBy mode is tipped by Gurman. That would provide access to touch controls, but Apple reportedly expects it’ll be largely controlled by Siri’s forthcoming Apple Intelligence capabilities.

The report comes in the same week it was rumoured Apple is working on a smart home camera that’d integrate with HomeKit. It’s possible the camera may not be a standalone device and instead form part of the device Gurman is tipping here.

Just the start for Apple’s smart home hardware push?

It seems apparent Apple has spotted a growth opportunity in the smart home that’s highly likely to be linked to its long-term plans for Apple Intelligence. With a powerful artificially intelligent assistant doing the heavy lifting, the home automation technology we always talk about could transcend our input.

How about your daily digest when you walk into the room in the morning? Likewise, your coffee pot switches on, the temperature is aligned to your chosen comfort level, a calming playlist arrives to serve you during breakfast, and you get the announcements of breaking news. The doors may lock as you leave, and the security cameras would turn on and the lights on.

There are serious possibilities here beyond the manual control of smart home gadgets and access to Apple Music via a connected speaker.