Apple's 'Welcome Home' event to unveil HomeView, new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini

HomeView: Apple's smart home hub

At the center of Apple's "Welcome Home" event on October 13 is HomeView, a smart home hub. The device is expected to come with an A18 chip, 8 GB of RAM and Siri AI. It is said to feature a 6-inch square touchscreen and to handle calendars, reminders, music, podcasts, video calls, news, messages and email. It will also use Siri for tasks such as step-by-step recipes, meal suggestions and shopping lists.

A wall-mountable version and a second version with an adjustable angle on a half-dome speaker base are also rumored. HomeView is not expected to have its own App Store; instead it will support Apple apps such as Safari, News, Music, Reminders, Calendar, Weather, Messages, FaceTime, Photos and Mail. Camera and presence sensors could recognize nearby users and show personalized content, with personal information displayed only after authentication. It is expected to go on sale in mid-November at around $350.

Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini

No design change is expected for the new Apple TV 4K; the updates will be mostly in hardware. It is said to feature an A19 chip, 8 GB of RAM and Apple's N1 connectivity chip, bringing Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread support. The A19 is expected to improve gaming performance with graphics technologies such as ray tracing and mesh shading, alongside Siri AI features. The new Siri Remote is expected to gain a built-in speaker to make it easier to find.

The new HomePod mini is also expected to keep its design, with changes in hardware. It is said to come with an S10 chip, second-generation Ultra Wideband and the N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. The device is expected to rely on the processing power of a nearby Apple device for Siri AI features. The new Siri is planned to answer follow-up questions, handle multiple requests at once and access information in the user's apps. It is expected to stay at $129 in white, blue, black, sage green and pink color options.

LG partnership and other expectations

Apple's smart home strategy may not be limited to its own devices. The company is reported to be preparing a product family with LG, marketed as "Apple Home Collection," that will work with HomeKit and HomeView. This family is expected to include products such as a wired video doorbell and a thermostat. There are also signs that Apple is working on a game controller under its Beats brand, though it is not yet known whether it will be announced at the event.