Apple's smart home hub launch postponed due to Siri delays
What's the story
Apple's long-awaited smart home hub launch has been pushed back, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has reported.
The delay comes due to the holdup of new Siri features that are key to the device.
Gurman wrote in his Power On newsletter, "At one point, the company had hoped to announce this product in March, but because the device, to an extent, relies on the delayed Siri capabilities, it has been postponed as well."
Siri upgrade
Siri enhancements critical for smart home hub
Apple has admitted that it needs more time to finalize its revamped version of Siri, first previewed at WWDC 2024 last June.
The tech giant said in a statement shared with Daring Fireball's John Gruber, "It's going to take us longer than we thought to deliver on these features and we anticipate rolling them out in the coming year."
These Siri enhancements are critical for Apple's smart home hub.
Feature delay
Personalized features delayed until 2026
Gurman revealed that Apple initially planned to introduce the more personalized Siri as part of iOS 18.4, which is now in beta and lacks any of the promised features.
The release was later pushed back to iOS 18.5, but Apple's latest statement indicates these facilities will take even longer to arrive.
The upgraded Siri will likely debut between iOS 19 in September 2025 and iOS 19.4 in March 2026.
Device details
Apple's smart home hub: A sneak peek
Despite the delay, Apple has reportedly begun an internal testing program for the smart home hub.
The device is expected to come with a 6.0-inch or 7.0-inch display, an A18 processor, and Apple Intelligence support.
Gurman described it as "Apple's most significant release of the year," as it represents the company's "first step toward a bigger role in the smart home."