Apple plans to launch new smart-home hub on Oct 13, reports

Apple is reportedly preparing to enter the smart-home segment on October 13 with a home hub known internally as J490. According to Business Recorder, which relayed a Bloomberg News report published Wednesday, the company is also expected to unveil an updated HomePod mini and a new Apple TV set-top box. Reuters had sought comment from Apple, which had not replied at the time.

The hub is described as a square display of about 6 inches that can be wall-mounted or placed on a countertop, comparable to Amazon's Echo and Google Home devices. It will reportedly identify individual household members and tailor content and responses using their own data and accounts. The refreshed HomePod mini and Apple TV are expected to keep their current designs but gain faster processors to run Siri's more capable AI models.

The timing follows a change at the top, as John Ternus became Apple's CEO earlier this month after a long career as hardware chief. Analysts expect his leadership to put more weight on devices, engineering and integrating AI into current products, while the iPhone remains the company's central product. Apple unveiled a long-delayed Siri overhaul in June as part of its wider AI effort.