Apple delays smart home hub until 2026 over Siri AI setbacks

Apple’s highly anticipated smart home hub has been delayed until 2026, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The iPad-like device, designed to control smart home gadgets similar to Google Nest or Amazon Echo speakers, was originally targeted for a March 2025 release but now faces a significant postponement tied to delays in Apple’s AI-powered Siri upgrade.

What you should know: The smart home hub’s delay is directly connected to Apple’s broader AI strategy and Siri overhaul.

• Apple delayed its Siri upgrade back in March, with the smart home hub reportedly reliant on many of those new AI features to function properly.
• The new AI-powered Siri was originally planned for iOS 18.4 but Apple confirmed in June it wouldn’t launch until sometime in 2026.
• Gurman noted that launching the smart home hub without an AI-infused Siri could have resulted in “flat” functionality.

The big picture: Apple’s smart home ambitions are becoming increasingly intertwined with its artificial intelligence capabilities.

• The delayed Siri features would allow the voice assistant to “tap into personal data to fulfill queries and take advantage of the information on a user’s screen.”
• Apple is also planning a refresh of its App Intents framework, which helps apps integrate with system experiences like Siri, Focus, and Spotlight.
• This upgrade would “allow Siri to more precisely control applications and functions,” according to Gurman’s sources.

What they’re saying: Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman expressed low expectations for a 2025 launch in his Power On newsletter.

• “I have little to no expectation that the product will arrive this year. Instead, I’d expect it in 2026 — around the same time the new Siri finally launches.”
• His sources indicate there’s an additional reason for the delay beyond Siri, though it remains tied to the voice assistant.

Meanwhile: Gurman also predicted the iPhone 17 series could launch on September 9, 2025, with Apple likely hosting its next launch event during the week of September 8.