Apple didn’t announce its rumoured Home Hub today – but there are clues it's still coming
Apple’s focus on Siri, intelligence and “hubs” suggests the story isn’t over yet
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Apple didn’t announce the long-awaited Home Hub at today’s keynote, but that doesn’t mean its smart home ambitions have disappeared, with an announcement still expected in the coming months.
Apple didn’t announce a new HomePod or the rumoured Home Hub at today’s keynote, but that doesn’t mean the home was absent from the story. In fact, there was enough talk around hubs, intelligence and Siri to suggest that Apple’s ambitions for the home are still very much alive – and perhaps getting closer to becoming a reality.
The biggest clue came during Apple’s iPhone presentation, when John Ternus described the iPhone as an “intelligent personal hub.” That wording is particularly interesting given Apple’s existing use of “hub” in the smart home, where HomePod, HomePod mini and Apple TV provide the central infrastructure for HomeKit and Matter devices.
It gets even more interesting when you look at Apple’s push to make Siri dramatically more capable. A future Home Hub would need exactly that – especially a persistent interface for controlling and understanding what’s happening around the home.
There had been plenty of rumours ahead of today about new smart home hardware, including a HomePod update and a Home Hub device, yet neither appeared on stage. That doesn’t necessarily mean those products have been cancelled, especially when there are signs that Apple is still building the software foundation they would need.
There was an interesting reminder of that from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman earlier today. Before the keynote, he wrote: “If you don't see the Apple TV, HomePod mini, home display and touch MacBook today, don't worry. It's only September,” suggesting that the October event could be the one to watch.
