Apple’s push into artificial intelligence isn’t just software tweaks. It’s spawning entirely new hardware lines. Analyst reports point to three smart home devices ready for production, held back only by delays in Apple Intelligence upgrades. These products—a modular Home Hub tablet, a tabletop robot, and a security camera—stand poised to expand Apple’s footprint beyond iPhones and wearables.
The catalyst? Revamped Apple Foundation Models, trained with help from Google Gemini. Production lines hum. Yet launches wait on software polish. AppleInsider details how these devices have lingered in rumor mills for years, now repeating in Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter.
Picture this. A 6- to 7-inch tablet, magnetically snapping onto speaker bases, wall mounts, or even robotic arms. That’s the Home Hub. Carry it room to room. Mount it anywhere. Two tiers emerge: a base 7-inch model and a beefier 9-inch version for heavier AI lifting. Magnetic connectors ensure compatibility across a household. Users swap tablets freely between docks. No iPad-style silos here.
Google tried something akin with Nest Hub Max. Apple refines it. The hub recognizes users by proximity. It serves as the home’s AI brain. Smaller satellites orbit the premium unit. Production shifts to Vietnam, signaling supply chain pivots from China. Cost? Around $350, per earlier leaks.
But delays mount. Apple Intelligence stumbles. Siri upgrades prove tricky. Nothing fresh on timelines since March. September iPhone event? Possible. October more likely, betting on fall Foundation Models.
And the tabletop robot. A 9-inch screen on a swiveling arm. It tracks you. Joins conversations. Suggests dinners. Plans trips. FaceTime with Center Stage flair. Joystick optional for tweaks. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman flags 2027 rollout. Ties into six broader categories Gurman outlined on TBPN: AI AirPods, smart glasses, a pendant, smart display, this robot, security camera. Apple World Today recaps his list.
From Smart Home Core to Wearable AI Frontiers
Security camera rounds out the trio. Think doorbell with HomeKit Secure Video on steroids. Facial recognition pulls from your Photos library. Siri announces visitors by name over HomePod. Deep ties to the ecosystem. Wireless deadbolt unlock for residents. Indoor placement throughout the house. Kuo eyes 2026 mass production.
John Ternus steps in as CEO September 1. Hardware veteran behind AirPods, Watch, Vision Pro. Tim Cook’s operational mastery yields to Ternus’s device focus. Wall Street Journal notes bets on folding iPhone, smart-home hub, glasses—per Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International. WSJ. Pressure mounts. Power On warns Ternus must deliver breakthroughs or face failure labels. Hyperbole, perhaps. iPhones sold sans AI hype last two years.
AI AirPods steal headlines elsewhere. IR camera like Face ID receiver. Mass production 2026 via Foxconn. 10 million units possible. Enhances Vision Pro spatial audio—head turns emphasize sounds. Gesture controls via environmental sensing. Kuo’s Medium post nails it: strengthens spatial computing ecosystem. Ming-Chi Kuo on Medium.
Pendant? Clip-on or necklace. Always-on camera, mic for Siri. Eyes and ears extension for pocketed iPhones. No display. Debate on speakers for chats.
Smart glasses. Ray-Ban style, no screen. Audio, camera, AI sensing, gestures. 3-5 million shipments forecast by Kuo. High-res camera plus computer vision lens. Premium acrylic frames. 2027 mass production.
Macs thrive on local AI. M4 Mac Minis backordered 10-18 weeks. Unified memory crushes lag. Apple Silicon edges cloud rivals. X buzz confirms: PMs hoard 32GB+ units for personal compute.
Ternus inherits momentum. Vision Pro tests waters. iPhone 17 lineup looms. But smart home fills gaps. Competitors like Amazon dominate hubs. Google pushes Nest. Apple plays catch-up—with AI edge.
Risks abound. Tariffs. India-Vietnam shifts. Siri skepticism. IDC’s Francisco Jeronimo questions post-iPhone growth. Yet MacBook Neo sells out. Demand surges.
Three categories today. Six tomorrow. Apple’s hardware bets hinge on AI delivery. Ternus era begins. Devices first. Watch closely.
WebProNews is an iEntry Publication