Apple announces event for October 13th – here is what to expect
Apple's long-awaited Home Hub is likely to see the light of day next Tuesday. In addition, the Californians are expected to present upgrades to the HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K, as well as a collaboration with LG.
On Tuesday, October 13, 2026, Apple will introduce new products under the title «Welcome Home». You can follow the event starting at 7 p.m. on Apple's website or YouTube channel. The title speaks for itself: it is likely to be smart home devices, including the long-awaited Home Hub.
In this article, you will find an up-to-date summary of the rumors. None of this is confirmed by Apple, and as a retailer, we do not have any insider information either.
Home Hub: Siri throughout the house
Apple's entry into the smart home sector has been expected for years. The central unit is said to be a new Home Hub. It is expected to come in two versions. One can be mounted on the wall, while the other is said to have a display on a hemispherical speaker base.
Source: Yanko Design
The Home Hub is said to have been ready for a long time, but they allegedly wanted to wait for the mature Siri AI – which, strictly speaking, is still in the beta stage and still needs quite a bit of work. The hub will likely run an operating system called homeOS, which is based on tvOS and includes the familiar apps and widgets.
On the display, you can, for example, retrieve calendar entries, watch videos, make video calls, and control smart home devices. In standby mode, the Home Hub likely shows the time or configurable widgets. Via camera and facial recognition, the software recognizes who is nearby in multi-person households – and displays personalized content. The Home Hub is expected to cost 350 US dollars. Apple hopes that people will distribute several of them throughout the house.
HomePod mini, Apple TV 4K
In addition to the Home Hub, a refresh of the HomePod mini is expected. It is said to receive a faster processor and Apple's N1 network chip. This supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. Thanks to the new processor, the HomePod mini should also offer full support for Apple Intelligence. The large HomePod apparently will not receive an upgrade for the time being. It is unclear whether it will be replaced by the new Home Hub or simply revised at a later date.
Source: Apple
Siri AI is also coming to the new Apple TV 4K. This is said to have a more powerful chip and more RAM. According to rumors, it will be either the A19 or the A19 Pro (which is also in the iPhone 18 Pro) with 8 or 12 gigabytes of RAM. As with the HomePod mini, the N1 network chip will be added.
Cooperation with LG?
One new product and two refreshes would be a bit thin for a dedicated event. It is therefore quite possible that the Californians will simultaneously announce a collaboration with LG. According to a report by «Bloomberg», Apple intends to launch surveillance cameras, a smart doorbell, a thermostat, and other smart home gadgets together with the South Korean manufacturer.
For LG, this would be a small coup. Whether the alleged cooperation is a good idea for Apple's brand at the moment is another matter. This is because LG has recently been making negative headlines for allegedly harvesting user data and selling it to advertisers – both with TVs and with monitors. Such scandals do not fit at all with Apple, which has placed great value on data protection and the trust of its customers for years.
My fingerprint often changes so drastically that my MacBook doesn't recognise it anymore. The reason? If I'm not clinging to a monitor or camera, I'm probably clinging to a rockface by the tips of my fingers.
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