For years, Apple has treated the smart home as a side project. Tomorrow, that could change. The company has announced a special “Welcome Home” event for Tuesday, October 13, and by all accounts it is shaping up to be Apple’s biggest smart home push in a decade.
The event takes place in Tribeca, New York, at 9 am ET, which is 6:30 pm IST for viewers in India. Apple is expected to livestream it on YouTube, and the invitation itself hints at the theme: home.
Here is everything we know so far, based on the latest reporting from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and industry leaks.
The headline act: HomeView, Apple’s first smart home hub
The star of the evening is expected to be HomeView, Apple’s long-rumored smart home hub. The name surfaced recently in a trademark filing and has since been backed by Gurman, who describes it as the company’s first all-new product category in years.
Think of it as a cross between an iPad and a HomePod. The device reportedly has a 6-inch square touchscreen, a FaceTime camera, and a base packed with microphones and speakers. Inside, it runs on the A18 chip with 8 GB of RAM, the same silicon found in the iPhone 16.
The defining feature is Siri. Voice is expected to be the primary way of interacting with HomeView, with Apple’s upgraded Siri AI acting as the centerpiece. You will be able to control smart home devices, make FaceTime calls, watch videos, check news and weather, and glance at your calendar, largely without touching the screen.
- Two designs: a countertop model with a metal speaker base (in space gray, silver, starlight and pink) and a wall-mounted version with a flat square base (space gray and silver only).
- Sound matters: Gurman reports the countertop version will sound better than the HomePod mini, positioning it as both a speaker and a hub.
- Limited apps: HomeView will run a small set of Apple’s own apps, with no App Store of its own. You may, however, be able to project widgets from a nearby iPhone onto its display.
There is a catch: the hub will not ship right away. The new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini are expected to arrive first, around October 30, with HomeView following in mid-November. Early chatter puts the price around $350, though Apple has confirmed nothing.
A new Apple TV 4K, five years in the making
Alongside HomeView, Apple is expected to refresh the Apple TV 4K, a box that has gone years without an update. The new model is tipped to run on the A19 chip, bringing a big performance jump for gaming and Apple’s on-device AI features.
It also gains a trick the current model lacks: built-in microphones, so you can talk to Siri directly without reaching for the remote or a HomePod. The Siri Remote itself is getting a redesign with a small speaker, making it findable with the Find My app when it inevitably slips between sofa cushions.
A new N1 networking chip should improve Wi-Fi and Bluetooth performance, and the box is expected to start shipping on October 30.
The HomePod mini gets a second life
The little HomePod mini, launched in 2020, is also due for a refresh. The new version keeps the same compact shape but moves to a faster S10 processor, adds the N1 networking chip, and, most visibly, comes in new colors.
Powder pink and forest green are the newly reported shades, joining the existing blue, black and white options. The upgraded Siri AI support should make the mini noticeably more capable as a home assistant. Like the Apple TV, it is expected to hit shelves on October 30.
Apple’s bigger home play, with a little help from LG
The most interesting part of the reporting may be what comes after the event. Apple is said to be working with LG and Schneider Electric on an “Apple Home Collection” of accessories: a smart doorbell, a front-door lock, a thermostat, temperature sensors, and indoor and outdoor cameras.
These would give HomeView a family of first-party accessories to command, something Google and Amazon have enjoyed for years. The catch is timing: the LG-developed devices are not expected before the end of the year at the earliest.
What to watch in India
For Indian viewers, the practical questions are price and availability. Apple typically announces India pricing at or shortly after global events, so tomorrow evening should give us rupee figures for the new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini at least. Whether the HomeView hub launches in India in its first wave remains the big open question.
One more thing to keep an eye on: reports suggest this could be the first of two October events. A second keynote around October 27 is rumored to bring Apple’s first touchscreen MacBook, M6-powered MacBook Pro and iMac models, and a new iPad mini. But that is a story for another week.
FAQs
When is Apple’s October 13 event, and what time is it in India?
The “Welcome Home” event is on Tuesday, October 13, at 9 am ET, which is 6:30 pm IST. Apple is expected to stream it on its YouTube channel.
What is the HomeView hub?
It is Apple’s rumored smart home hub: a 6-inch square touchscreen device with a speaker base, powered by the A18 chip and built around voice interaction with Siri AI. It will control smart home devices, handle FaceTime calls, and run a limited set of Apple apps.
When will the HomeView, Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini be available?
Per Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini will ship on October 30, with the HomeView hub following around mid-November.
Will these products launch in India?
Apple has not confirmed India plans yet. Watch the October 13 event for India pricing and availability details.
How much will the HomeView hub cost?
Early reports suggest a price around $350, but Apple has announced nothing officially. Expect confirmation at the event.
Tomorrow evening, the smart home finally gets its Apple moment. Check back for the full coverage.
