Rafomac News, Tech & Trends That MatterApple’s next big push into the smart home has leaked—and it’s far more ambitious than just an updated speaker. The new HomePad will feature a 7-inch display with a smart watch-inspired interface, turning it into a true home hub. Ready for an Apple Watch blown up to countertop or wall size? Here’s everything we know.
Apple’s HomePad Is More Than a Speaker
For years, Apple has been steadily building its smart home ecosystem, improving HomeKit and adding support for Matter-compatible accessories. But it’s long been missing a true smart home assistant that can unify control in a meaningful way. The HomePod and HomePod mini delivered impressive audio for their size, yet they fell short as smart hubs—especially since they run older versions of Siri that won’t upgrade to Apple’s latest AI assistant.
Now leaks from macOS 26.7 suggest Apple is aiming to fix that with a fresh product called HomePad. This isn’t just a bigger speaker or an iPad on a stand—Apple appears to be creating a device closer in spirit to the Apple Watch, but blown up to a 7-inch screen. Imagine the glanceable, widget-driven interface of watchOS, but reimagined for smart home convenience right on your countertop or mounted on a wall.
Two HomePad Versions: Countertop and Wall-Mounted
According to the leak, Apple plans two versions of the HomePad. The first, codenamed J490, is a tabletop device resembling a HomePod speaker topped with a 7-inch square display. It will deliver rich sound capable of filling a room, combining high-quality audio with the visual smart hub experience.
The second, J491, is a wall-mountable display roughly the same size but without the traditional speaker setup. This model evokes smart thermostats or digital calendars—slim, glass-fronted, and designed to live on the wall for quick, hands-free access to your HomeKit controls and information.
Apple Watch Faces and Widgets, Not iPadOS
One of the most exciting details leaked is HomePad’s software approach. Instead of running iPadOS or iOS with a grid of apps, HomePad’s interface will mimic the Apple Watch’s face and complication system. The software references a “faces gallery,” allowing users to build personalized screens with smart, glanceable stacks.
Think of different faces for different moments in your day—a kitchen face that surfaces timers, weather, music, and HomeKit shortcuts; a morning face focused on calendar and commute updates; or a night face emphasizing security cameras and alarm controls. This makes sense for a device meant to be checked quickly without fiddling with complicated menus, especially when your hands are busy cooking or cleaning.
Personalized, Privacy-Focused Smart Home Control
Privacy remains core to Apple’s philosophy here. The HomePad is expected to recognize individual users based on proximity to their iPhones, displaying personal information accordingly. In a household with multiple Apple IDs, the device could automatically switch profiles to show your calendar, reminders, or relevant controls without manual switching. It’s the kind of seamless convenience that feels natural but requires sophisticated ecosystem integration.
Powered by Next-Gen Hardware and Siri AI
The HomePad will reportedly run on an A18 chip or newer, enabling support for the next generation of Siri AI. This is notable because current HomePods lack the hardware to upgrade to Apple’s upcoming Siri, leaving them behind in smart assistant capability. The new processor will also support video calls through a built-in selfie camera, adding FaceTime to the mix.
More Than a Product: The Birth of a Category
Apple’s vision seems to be the start of a new category and ecosystem tailored for smart home management—a blend of watchOS, tvOS, and a touch of iPadOS all optimized for a hands-on, glanceable experience. The HomePad’s standalone wall version hints at ongoing expansion, perhaps integrating with future products like an Apple security camera or a Siri-enhanced Apple TV remote.
The code name for this new software is “Pebble,” possibly a nod to the early smartwatch era that inspired much of Apple Watch’s DNA. It suggests Apple is melding its separate operating systems into versatile, context-driven platforms adapted for many device types over the next several years.
Pricing is still purely speculative, but guesses range between $399 for the display-only wall model and $599 for the full speaker-equipped tabletop HomePad.
This ambitious project is expected to be unveiled at Apple’s highly anticipated September event, promising to reshape how Apple’s smart home ecosystem works. For fans hungry to turn their homes into intuitive, personalized hubs, this might be the leap forward they’ve waited for.
Curious to see how Apple brings the Apple Watch’s elegance and practicality to your walls and counters? The HomePad could be the missing link in a truly smart home experience.
