Apple’s highly anticipated 7-inch "HomePad" smart display is hitting a roadblock. According to 9to5Mac, the company is pushing the launch to fall 2026 as it waits for critical artificial intelligence upgrades to Siri.
This knocks the product right out of its originally projected March release window—meaning we won't see it this month—and dumps it into Apple's busiest hardware season. Prototype collector Kosutami tells 9to5Mac and AppleInsider the new smart home hub is now slated for somewhere between September and December. That window sets the stage for a flashy reveal alongside the iPhone 18 this fall.
The holdup comes down to Apple's notorious voice assistant. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports the HomePad hardware leans heavily on an unreleased, supercharged version of Siri. With those Gemini-powered smarts pushed back to iOS 26.5 or even iOS 27, Apple couldn't exactly push the hardware out the door half-baked.
Hardware Specifications and Apple Intelligence
We already have a solid idea of what's under the hood thanks to leaked internal code from a pre-release iOS 26 build. Macworld notes the device, codenamed J490, packs an A18 processor. That beefy silicon choice means the HomePad can handle Apple Intelligence entirely on-device, blowing past the current lineup of basic smart speakers.
The design clearly targets video calling and shared living spaces. It sports a 7-inch touchscreen and an ultra-wide 1080p front-facing camera. Naturally, that lens supports Center Stage, keeping you in frame as you pace around the kitchen.
Beyond the display, the HomePad packs full Face ID support. The device will actually recognize who just walked up to it, seamlessly swapping to that person's personalized user profile and preferences.
Apple's Expanded Smart Home Strategy
Apple is finally getting serious about the living room. Right now, its smart home lineup is a stagnant mix of the Apple TV 4K, the standard HomePod, and the aging HomePod mini. Macworld expects this $399 HomePad to act as the anchor for a massive ecosystem expansion.
The 7-inch display is just the entry point. Gurman claims Apple is quietly building a high-end, motorized model featuring a screen mounted on a robotic arm. That premium version will reportedly track users around the room, signaling a much deeper push into home robotics.
The smart display won't arrive alone. According to 9to5Mac, Apple is cooking up its first proprietary home security camera alongside a Face ID-equipped video doorbell.
Leaked code also points to a second-generation HomePod mini. Don't expect a dramatic overhaul, though—this entry-level speaker just gets a minor processor bump and misses out on the A18 chip needed to run Apple Intelligence.
Apple knows it only gets one shot to convince buyers to put yet another screen on their kitchen counters. If the fall launch finally delivers a Siri that actually understands context instead of just setting timers, the wait might actually be worth it.