Your home can become smarter with Apple’s Siri, but it will have to wait a few more months. Bloomberg reported that the iPad-shaped AI home hub won’t be ready until September, several months after the company hopes to launch it this spring. Apple engineers first need to complete work on a new improved Siri assistant for the home device, codenamed J490, according to Bloomberg.
Apple had hoped to release the J490 this month, along with a number of other new devices, including the iPhone 17e, MacBook Neo, MacBook Air M5, new Pro modelsagain iPad Air M4. Apple first teased a smart home display in November 2024.
An Apple representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Apple’s Siri virtual assistant that uses voice recognition and AI to accomplish various tasks and commandsonce interesting use. You can use Siri to find your iPhone — “Hey Siri, where are you?” — or hearing the weather forecast — “Siri, what’s the weather going to be like today?” Siri is available on iPhones, MacBooks and iPads. It was introduced in 2011 as a feature of the iPhone 4S.
As CNET reported last month, Apple engineers struggled to push the improved Siri assistant out the door. It’s not fast enough, gets confused by complex commands and doesn’t integrate well with other Apple AI models. The company is also grappling with how much personal data needs to be accessed to inform AI, and the new Siri has yet to complete in-app tasks, such as taking a photo and sending it to social media, all with a single command.
It’s been almost two years since Apple announced that it would be giving Siri a major upgrade. Meanwhile, competitors like Alexa Plus again Domestic Gemini they entered the market.
Technology analyst Jon Rettinger, whose YouTube channel has 1.66 million subscribers, says repeated delays in developing Siri could “destroy” confidence in Apple’s ability to continue the AI race.
“Apple as a whole is still one of the strongest companies in the world. But their AI game is clearly the weakest link in a very strong chain,” Rettinger told CNET.
Rettinger said he’s had trouble getting Siri to complete basic commands, like setting two alarms at once, and that it’s a little “bad” right now.
“Having said that, the iPhone has such a large market penetration that I’m not sure it will matter in the end. Which is kind of wild when you think about it,” Rettinger said.
Facial recognition for residents
The hardware for the upcoming smart home display has been finalized. It’s similar to an iPad and can be plugged into a wall or rest on a half-shaped base, Bloomberg reports.
The device will be equipped with facial recognition, so when citizens come to it, they will be shown personal data such as music preferences, news articles, appointments, reminders, tasks and more.
The virtual screen will feature a bunch of circular app icons, similar to the display on the Apple Watch. A Bloomberg report said the smart home display will be the first of many home devices made by Apple. Future products include a robotic tablet unit with a 9-inch screen, a smart security camera and a Face ID-enabled doorbell.
