Apple is set to hold a ‘Welcome Home’ event, which appears to be behind closed doors to the media. So far, there is no ‘Welcome Home’ info on the Apple Events website and no live stream has been scheduled on YouTube or the Apple TV app. So the event doesn’t seem like Apple’s usual public keynotes – like its September 9 event this year where it revealed the iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, Watch Series 12, Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5.
The event will be held this Tuesday, October 13 in New York, around Apple Home smart devices. While we previously heard the October 13 date, the event adds a new dimension to the proceedings and gives some indication of how seriously Apple takes the launch of these new products.
So as things stand at the moment, expect some info to appear on Apple.com soon after these timings – and of course we’ll bring you all the latest from the event living room.
‘Welcome Home’ Apple Event Timings
- Los Angeles: 6 a.m. PDT
- Chicago: 8 a.m. CDT
- New York/Toronto: 9 a.m. EDT
- São Paulo: 10 a.m. BRT
- London: 14:00 BST
- Paris/Berlin: 15:00 CEST
- Johannesburg: 15:00 SAST
- Dubai: 17:00 GST
- New Delhi: 18:30 IST
- Singapore: 9pm SGT
- Beijing: 21:00 CST
- Tokyo: 22:00 JST
- Seoul: 22:00 KST
- Sydney: Wednesday 14 October, midnight AEDT
What is being launched?
An unprecedented Apple start will not be a surprise to you if you read Stuff’s Coverage over the last few weeks, as we expected a new version of Apple TV 4K to be launched before the end of the year – which could be called Apple TV Ultra. This new device will be based around the A17 Pro, which is the lower end chip to support Apple Intelligence and Siri AI. There should also be a new network chip with Wi-Fi 7 and other upgrades, plus Ultra Wideband (UWB) support, which will allow you to find a new Siri remote and even your iPhone.
We also speculated that it could be joined by an updated HomePod Mini with Siri AI. So far, so iterative.
But the more exciting product should be a HomePod with a display that we previously thought was called HomePad, but is actually called HomeView. This will essentially be a smart home controller, with a large speaker that will apparently run on Apple’s A18 chip and use a modified version of iOS / tvOS, called – yes, you guessed it – homeOS.
There are some suggestions that Apple may offer two versions of the Apple A18-powered HomeView – one with a metal base designed for a countertop (gray, silver, starlight and pink are the proposed colors) and one that is mounted on the wall.
Rumors have also suggested that the HomeView will have better audio performance than Apple’s HomePod Mini, but since it’s certainly bigger, this isn’t a surprise. It may also have Face ID.
Previous rumors suggested that the display could snap onto a wall-mounted base using MagSafe-style technology. It is also suggested that Siri will be the primary mode of interaction with the device rather than the touch screen.
It will be very interesting to see Apple’s take on this product and compare it to the many attempts by Amazon and Google over the last 8 or 9 years. Reports this year suggested that all three devices have been ready for months and even years, waiting for the relaunch of Siri.
There is also speculation that HomeView could take design inspiration from the iconic iMac G4.
Even more smart home devices from Apple – sort of
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman recently reported that Apple is planning a bunch of Ring-style smart home devices, including “a doorbell, thermostat, a smart deadbolt lock, indoor security camera, outdoor security camera and floodlight camera” and that the company has worked with LG as a key partner.
It seems that the products will be LG-branded, but will – somewhat obviously – be fully compatible with Apple Home. So Apple essentially has a hand in making the devices, but doesn’t have to make and market them.
Bloomberg further reports that these products are referred to as LG Video Doorbell Wired, LG Floodlight Cam, LG Outdoor Cam Plug-In, LG Indoor Cam Plug-In, LG Smart Deadbolt Lock, LG Smart Thermostat and LG Temperature Sensor.
Gurman also says that Apple will expand its own home ecosystem in the future “to include a privacy-centric home monitoring device, a version of its smart home hub that attaches the screen to a robotic arm, and an in-home security monitoring service.” Of course, Apple already has a huge Apple Home smart home ecosystem with third-party devices, but I would say that if Apple gets its own brand of smart home devices more established, don’t bet against producing its own versions of devices like the LG Video Doorbell that are even more privacy-centered.
Of course, all these products support not only Wi-Fi, but also the open smart home protocols, of which Apple is a member – Matter and Thread. Today’s Apple TV of 2022 is already a Matter Controller and Thread Border Router, which allows it to act as the center of an Apple Home Smart Home setup. Expect the HomePod and HomeView to do the same.
More from Apple in October?
I also expect some other devices from Apple soon – the iPad Mini (8th generation) is imminent and certainly an M6 version of the iMac is also on the way. There are also further rumors – most recently due to information from the macOS 27.2 code – that there will be a touchscreen MacBook Ultra (essentially an extreme version of the MacBook Pro). I think these Macs will be with us in November instead because this is all too much for a single preview event without a big public launch.
