Apple's smart home hub reportedly delayed into 2026 as intelligent voice control features aren't yet ready

Apple’s smart home hub reportedly delayed into 2026 as intelligent voice control features aren’t yet ready

Anthony Bouchard ∙ July 13, 2025

If you’ve been following along, then you’ve likely heard about Apple’s plans to launch a smart home hub device – something akin to a HomePod with an integrated iPad-style screen that could be used to control in-home devices via a new operating system that Apple might call homeOS.

Original estimates indicated a potential 2025 release for Apple’s smart home hub device, but in a more recent report, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman indicated that it was likely postponed until 2026.

Reasons for the delay are tied to the fact that the device would necessitate more advanced Siri capabilities, specifically relating to Apple Intelligence, that don’t yet exist and were supposed to launch alongside iOS 18. Apple now plans to roll these features out in the coming year, which means the company is running at least one year behind schedule.

In addition, Gurman shared another important tidbit in his Power On Newsletter on Sunday that highlighted another important reason for the delays: a holdup in the development of an upgraded App Intents, which permit greater flexibility in controlling apps with Siri with by way of the end user’s voice:

The hub also is dependent on a new version of App Intents, which would allow Siri to more precisely control applications and functions. The device is meant to be operated primarily via voice, something App Intents enables. At this point, I have little to no expectation that the product will arrive this year. Instead, I’d expect it in 2026 — around the same time the new Siri finally launches.

For a smart home device like this one, a voice assistant is a core feature that needs to be polished for the best possible user experience. As deadlines for the dependencies that would power such a device continue to slip at the Cupertino-based Apple, it’s very easy to see why the main device is also running behind.

Interestingly, Apple’s leadership are undergoing a significant reorganization amid all these delays. Apple COO Jeff Williams is slated to step down later this month and then retire later this year. In the interim, current Senior Vice President of Operations Sabih Khan will take his place and Apple’s design team will report directly to CEO Tim Cook instead of Williams or Khan.

These shakeups are without question also creating some disorganization from within the company, which could impact rollout deadlines for certain projects, perhaps including the smart home device that Apple is rumored to be working on.

Tags Apple HomeKit homeOS HomePod Siri Smart Home Voice assistants
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