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Apple’s “Welcome Home” event is scheduled for October 13 in New York and is expected to center on smart-home products. The Verge’s preview, citing reports and rumors, points to a new touchscreen hub and possible homeOS software, alongside refreshed Apple TV and HomePod Mini models. Apple has not confirmed the rumored products or features.
Apple is scheduled to open its “Welcome Home” event in New York on October 13 at 9 a.m. ET, with the company expected to focus on smart-home products. The Verge’s event preview, drawing on reports including Mark Gurman’s, says Apple may introduce a touchscreen home hub and a new software platform, as well as refreshes to Apple TV and HomePod Mini; Apple has not confirmed those products.
The main expected announcement is a dedicated Apple smart-home hub, described in reports as a roughly 6-inch square touchscreen. It may be designed to sit on a counter or attach to a wall. Gurman has suggested the countertop version could have a screen mounted on an arm above a rounded base. The device’s name is unsettled: possibilities discussed in the reporting include HomeView, HomePad and Apple Home Hub, with Gurman favoring HomeView.
Reports also point to homeOS, a possible operating system for the hub. The Verge says it may combine elements of Apple’s existing software and focus on controlling connected-home devices, while also supporting services and apps such as Apple Music, Podcasts, News, Reminders and Notes. The reported hub could identify users by voice or face and show personal information such as contacts and calendar appointments; a second check through an iPhone has also been described. These details are rumors, not confirmed specifications.
The Apple TV and HomePod Mini are expected to receive more modest updates, according to the preview. Their designs may stay largely unchanged while new processors improve performance and support Siri features. The report says the HomePod Mini could come in additional colors, including green and pink, while the Apple TV may add a built-in microphone and a remote speaker to help locate it. Both products are rumored to use Apple’s N1 chip, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 6.0 support. Apple may also discuss compatible partner devices, including smart-home products reportedly planned by LG.
Apple’s Push Into the Home
A dedicated hub would give Apple a more visible role in everyday smart-home control than its Home app alone. A screen placed in a shared room could bring controls for locks, thermostats and other connected devices together with personal services such as calendars and calls. That would make the event relevant to people who already use Apple products at home, as well as customers considering a connected-home system.
The expected announcements also matter because they could show how Apple plans to apply Siri and its software across devices. If the reports are accurate, the hub and refreshed Apple TV and HomePod Mini would rely on updated processors to handle new assistant features. But until Apple demonstrates the products, the extent of those features—and whether they work across existing devices—remains uncertain.
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From Home App to Hub
Apple already provides smart-home controls through the Home app and HomeKit-compatible accessories. The event preview frames a dedicated hub as a larger move into the category, bringing a persistent screen and voice control into the home rather than relying only on phones, tablets, speakers or a television.
The reported hardware updates would follow different timelines. The HomePod Mini was announced on October 13, 2020, according to the source report, while the Apple TV’s last hardware refresh was in 2022. The Verge’s October 11, 2026, update added further rumors attributed to Gurman’s Power On newsletter. The same preview says a touchscreen MacBook is not expected at this event; Gurman has reportedly said it will debut later in October, a separate claim that Apple has not confirmed.
“The hub’s software may be called “homeOS.””
— The Verge, citing Mark Gurman’s reporting
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Names, Features and Launch Plans
Apple has not publicly confirmed the rumored hub, homeOS, updated Apple TV or refreshed HomePod Mini. The final product names, prices, availability, technical specifications and software capabilities are not yet clear. Reports about facial or voice recognition, iPhone-based secondary identification, a built-in Apple TV microphone, a speaker in its remote and LG’s reported NFC features also remain unverified.
It is also unclear how much time Apple will give to third-party products or whether all the expected announcements will appear at the event. The touchscreen MacBook is described as unlikely to feature, but its reported later-October debut is not an Apple announcement. The event could differ from the expectations outlined in the preview.
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What to Watch on October 13
The next firm milestone is Apple’s scheduled presentation in New York at 9 a.m. ET on October 13. The event should establish which products, software features and partner devices Apple is actually introducing, and provide details that the current reports do not settle, such as pricing and availability.
Until Apple makes those announcements, the reported product list should be treated as a preview rather than a confirmed launch lineup. Readers can compare the company’s presentation with the rumors afterward, particularly on the hub’s name and design, the role of homeOS, and the extent of Siri support on Apple TV and HomePod Mini.
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Key Questions
When is Apple’s “Welcome Home” event?
Apple’s event is scheduled for October 13, 2026, at 9 a.m. ET in New York, according to the source report.Has Apple confirmed a new smart-home hub?
No. The touchscreen hub is reported as an expected announcement, but Apple has not confirmed its existence, name, price or release date.What is homeOS?
HomeOS is a reported name for software that may power the rumored hub. Apple has not announced the platform or confirmed the features attributed to it.Are Apple TV and HomePod Mini updates confirmed?
No. The Verge’s preview says both may receive processor updates, with other possible changes, but these details remain unconfirmed ahead of the event.Is Apple expected to show a touchscreen MacBook?
The preview says the touchscreen MacBook is not expected at this event. It cites Gurman’s report that the device may debut later in October, which Apple has not confirmed.Source: rss
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