Right now, if you want an Apple Home “hub”, you have to find a way to mount an iPad to your wall. But don’t get your electric drill out just yet! There are rumours Apple has a dedicated Home tablet in the pipeline.
The question is – will it be good enough to rival the popular Amazon Echo Show and Google Nest Hub devices? Let’s find out.
Apple’s Big Smart Home Move – A Dedicated Hub for HomeKit
Some tech experts say the slow adoption of HomeKit is because there’s never been a proper control hub.
At the moment, the only HomePod device is for voice control. If you want to check your security cameras or tweak light settings, you have to fumble with your iPhone or iPad and open specific apps. It’s not the kind of convenience people expect from Apple.
That’s why they’re launching a new smart home tablet that acts as a central dashboard. It integrates directly with HomeKit, letting you control your lights, locks, thermostats, and cameras all in one place.
Pebble OS – A Fusion of Apple Operating Systems
Instead of just using Apple’s standard iOS, they are creating a whole new system called Pebble OS (or homeOS, depending on the leak you listen to). It’s a stripped down version of iOS that mixes in some of the looks and features of various Apple operating systems.
It’s likely to use a big, simple interface that draws on the design of tvOS. This means it’ll have a widget-based dashboard instead of a bunch of apps. You’ll probably have quick tiles for lights, security cameras, and thermostat controls, making it super visual and easy to use. It’ll be designed for glanceable info and fast interactions, a bit like watchOS.
It’s also rumoured to include elements of the iPhone StandBy mode. If you flip an iPhone sideways it turns into a mini display with widgets, time, and notifications. It’ll be like that but for your entire home setup with a customizable dashboard showing things like:
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Live camera feeds
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Weather updates
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Upcoming calendar events
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Who’s at the front door
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Smart home automation suggestions
Apple has also been pushing on-device AI and Apple Intelligence recently, so Siri will probably be smarter and more proactive on the smart home tablet. Instead of just responding to commands, it might start suggesting automations, such as “Hey, I see you always turn on the kitchen lights at 7 PM. Want me to automate that?”
A Mini iPad Meets Smart Display
According to leaked information, Apple’s smart home hub will have a 6-inch square touchscreen with thick bezels, designed for easy tapping and quick interactions. You’ll be able to mount it to a wall or place it on a tabletop dock. It’ll possibly have an audio upgrade with better speakers than an iPad for improved sound quality.
Other features might include the following.
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Camera & FaceTime support for video calls.
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Proximity sensors to control lighting and heating based on user presence.
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Robotic arm for screen tilt & rotation on the higher end model.
In terms of compatibility, the Apple smart home tablet will integrate directly with any Apple HomeKit device. It’s also likely to be compatible with Matter, which means it will integrate with a wide range of third-party smart home devices.
When to Expect Apple's Smart Home Tablet – Delayed Launch
If you’re waiting to build up your smart home setup around this device, then you’re going to be disappointed.
Originally, the Apple smart home tablet was rumoured to launch in March 2025, but it has been pushed back. According to recent reports, Apple is still working on the software, especially the AI features and App Intents (useful automations).
There might also be issues with third-party device integrations that need to be ironed out. If it’s buggy at launch, it won’t reflect well on Apple, so they’re pushing the release back to late 2025 instead.
Apple Smart Home Tablet Vs Echo Show & Nest Hub
The big selling point is the HomeKit-first experience. If you’re already invested in Apple’s ecosystem with multiple devices and smart home appliances, this brings everything together in one place.
According to reports, there will be two models available.
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Standard version: Competitively priced, aimed at mainstream users.
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High-end version: Extra AI and automation features and will cost around $1,000, targeting premium buyers.
The rumoured robotic arm to alter the tile and rotation of the screen for the high-end model sounds like it could be a bit gimmicky, unless it offers real usability improvements.
Will Apple Dominate the Smart Home Space?
At the moment, there isn’t too much information available about the two models, so it’s hard to tell whether the Apple smart home tablet will be a worthy rival to the Google and Amazon offerings, but we’ll know more once the official launch date and spec is made public.
What we do know is that Apple’s strategy is to create an all-in-one smart home hub that’s compatible with their own kit and any Matter-enabled device.
The big question will be – does the price justify the features and convenience? Watch this space!
