Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Apple is reportedly developing a new operating system called “HomeOS.”
- The company is expected to launch its first smart displays running on HomeOS in 2025.
- These new devices will offer smart home control and Apple Intelligence features.
Apple has a knack for shaking up every category it enters, but there’s been one glaring gap in its lineup: smart displays. With the Amazon Echo and Google Nest dominating living rooms, it seemed like only a matter of time before Apple would throw its hat into the ring.
That time may finally be coming, with new reports hinting that Apple could launch not one but two smart home devices as early as next year, powered by a brand-new operating system called “HomeOS.”
According to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, Apple is currently working on two smart displays, each designed to bring Apple’s AI into your home. The first, code-named J595, is the product we’ve been hearing about a lot in the past few months. It’s reportedly a higher-end product that combines a large screen — something like an iPad — with a robotic arm. Our guess is it would enable the device to move or rotate its display to follow a user’s voice or keep them in the camera frame.
The second device, code-named J490, is reportedly a lower-cost smart display designed primarily for FaceTime calls and controlling smart home gadgets. Gurman suggests that this device could be launched as early as next year, potentially serving as an entry-level companion to the more advanced J595, which is expected to cost over $1,000.
Both devices will reportedly run on Apple’s new “HomeOS” operating system, which is said to be built upon the foundation of tvOS, the software currently powering Apple TV devices.
The integration of Apple Intelligence features will be a key differentiator for these new products.
Unlike the current generation of Apple TV and HomePod devices, which lack the necessary hardware for onboard AI processing, these new smart displays will reportedly be capable of running AI models locally, enabling them to run some or all of the Apple Intelligence features.
Another Apple smart device resembling Gurman’s description of the J490 smart display also appeared in a separate report a few days ago. It will reportedly be designed as a hub for everyday tasks and feature apps like Calendar, Notes, and Home, with an interface tailored for quick smart home control. Apple has also reportedly toyed with the idea of making the device magnetic so it can attach to walls.
If you’re picturing something like a sleeker version of the Amazon Echo Show, you’re probably on the right track — though don’t expect it to come cheap. Apple’s known for entering new categories in its own style, often with premium features and price tags to match, so it’ll be interesting to see how these devices stack up against the competition.
For now, all signs point toward 2025 being the year Apple will finally step into the smart display game.
