Tuesday, March 10, 2026

The Verge has a new report on upcoming Apple Home products, including a smart screen, a new Apple TV 4K, and HomePod updates. Unsurprisingly, the main source is Mark Gurman, the king of Apple leaks.

According to Gurman, the J490 smart home display / HomePad is waiting for Apple to finish work on its chatbot-style AI update for Siri.

That was supposed to be ready by now, but it is now predicted to arrive later this year, along with the iPhone 18 Pro plus 2027 updates for iOS, macOS, and all the rest. He describes a silver aluminum-cased device with a 7-inch screen and USB-C power port running a version of tvOS 27, while new versions of the HomePod speaker and Apple TV 4K box are also waiting in the wings for that Siri update.

Surprise, surprise, they’re all being held up by Apple’s long-promised AI Siri overhaul. A year ago, I would have been thrilled at the prospect of a smart Home Screen from Apple. Fast forward to today, and I’ve barely talked to Siri in months, preferring to lean on my OpenClaw assistant. My home automation has been migrating from Apple Home to Home Assistant, and my personal MacBook Pro is running Asahi Linux.

My attachment to the Apple ecosystem is waning by the day, and I doubt that will change until there is a change at the top. The Tim Cook era at Apple has been fantastic for the stock price, but it’s time for new blood to reinvigorate the company and its commitment to innovation.

I am still interested in a new Apple TV 4K. The market badly needs a premium streaming box, and the alternatives are not particularly exciting.