Apple has two smart display devices in the works

One of the new homeOS gadgets is said to focus on the smart home

Apple is preparing to make a major foray into the smart home market, likely to launch two new devices soon powered by a new operating system called homeOS.

That’s according to respected tipster Mark Gurman from his Bloomberg Power On newsletter.

The move could signal Apple’s serious intentions to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into home devices in a way we haven’t seen before from the Cupertino tech giant.

Apparently one of the new devices – which may be a long way off I guess – is codenamed J595and it’s said to be a high-end smart display with a robotic limb, combining iPad functionality with a futuristic twist.

The report says the retail price could exceed $1,000.

Another code-named device J490considered a more affordable option; a low-end smart display designed to control FaceTime and home automation… aka the HomePod with a screen that has been widely speculated about over the last few years.

Gurman suggests he could start next year.

These devices will rely heavily on what the report calls “Apple Intelligence tools” – Apple’s growing set of artificial intelligence capabilities.

Currently, Apple’s home lineup – which includes Apple TV, HomePod and HomePod mini – lacks the hardware necessary to support advanced AI models.

The introduction of homeOS could fill this gap by unifying the smart home ecosystem under a single operating system, likely an evolution of tvOS, Apple’s software for Apple TV.

The report notes that both devices are a collaboration between Apple’s artificial intelligence and home hardware teams. The low-end smart display is designed with functionality in mind, allowing you to run apps like Calendar, Notes and Home, and offering an intuitive interface for controlling smart home devices.

I would fully expect it to be a Matter controller with the capabilities of a Thread border router, which is of course also designed as a HomeKit hub.

Apple has reportedly been exploring various designs for this product, including a prototype with magnetic wall mounting capabilities.

As highlighted in the report, this is Apple’s most ambitious attempt to date to penetrate the smart home space, which has yielded mixed results in the past. Could homeOS be the missing piece of the strategy? Only time will tell.

*The image used at the top is not real – obviously – it’s just a 2-minute primitive Photoshop job.