Apple Smart Home Gadgets Coming Soon! Get Ready For a New Future

Apple’s entry into the mixed-reality segment with the Vision Pro didn’t go as planned but that hasn’t stopped the brand from working on its next ambitious products. Apple is reportedly developing multiple smart home products aimed at enhancing home security.

While these products may not be as iconic as the iPhone, they are designed to keep track of who is in your home and who isn’t.

Apple is working on a smart home camera and an iPad-like console tablet, according to analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Mark Gurman, respectively.

With these upcoming products, Apple aims to claim a significant share of the global smart home market. Here’s everything we know about Apple’s ambitious plans in the smart home industry.

Apple’s first smart home camera is coming in 2026

According to Kuo, Apple’s first smart home camera will enter mass production in 2026, with its launch anticipated around the same time. It will be a wireless camera that can be placed anywhere in your home to monitor activity.

For obvious reasons, it will be part of the Apple ecosystem and could be paired or controlled with other Apple devices like the iPhone, MacBook and iPad.

Kuo notes that Apple will enhance the user experience with deep integration of Apple Intelligence and Siri. Apple has incorporated Siri and AI features across its product lineup since their introduction at WWDC 24, so it’s no surprise that the home camera will also be ‘smart,’ thanks to these unique features.

Goertek, a Chinese component manufacturer, has already received the New Product Introduction (NPI) for the camera from Apple and will commence production in 2026. The same company is set to be the primary supplier for the 2026 AirPods model.

Wait! There’s ‘One More Thing’

Apple’s ambitious smart home plans don’t end with one product. Cupertino's homeboy is also developing a display that will act as a control panel for all smart home devices, similar to Amazon’s Echo Hub and Google’s Nest Hub.

The smart home display will feature a design akin to an iPad with a six-inch screen, thick edges, an in-built camera, a rechargeable battery and speakers. With the addition of a camera, it wouldn’t be surprising if Apple included a FaceTime video call option.

The device could be controlled by touch and voice, thanks to integration with Apple Intelligence and Siri.

Apple is also said to be working on attachments for this device, including wall mounts and speaker bases for desks, tables, kitchens and nightstands. The product will also provide security alerts to its users.

Apple is reportedly developing a new operating system for its smart home ecosystem called homeOS. Gurman describes this OS as a blend of watchOS and the iPhone’s recently introduced StandBy mode. The display could be the first device to launch with this operating system, which may bring Apple’s in-house apps like Safari, Music and Notes to smart home devices.

It is expected to be released in March 2025 and will be available in two colours, silver and black.

A major threat to Amazon and Google!

Currently, Amazon and Google are the two big players in the smart home space, each with a full lineup of devices built on their respective platforms.

Apple’s smart home camera could compete with Amazon’s Ring and Google’s Nest cameras. As always, Apple is somewhat late to the AI scene, as both companies have already introduced AI features to their devices.

On the other hand, the Apple Smart Home display will compete with Amazon’s Echo Hub and Google’s Nest Hub.

Apple aims to sell over 10 million units of smart home cameras annually in the long term. It will be interesting to see how Apple plans to achieve this target, given that current global smart home camera shipments are between 30 million and 40 million units per year.

With all that said, we’re excited to hear from Apple officially about its upcoming smart home products.