Apple’s smart home display is delayed again as Siri work continues
Apple has delayed its smart home display again because the new Siri still is not ready.
Apple was planning to launch the device this month. Now Bloomberg says it is slipping later into 2026, with the current target around September as work on the new Siri keeps dragging on. The J490 was originally slated for Spring 2025 before Apple pushed it back.
The surprising part is that the hardware is not the issue. The display has been finished for months. But the holdup is the software that is supposed to make it feel like more than just another screen on a stand. Siri is said to sit at the center of the interface, which makes this look less like one delayed feature and more like a case where Apple’s AI timetable is now holding up hardware that is otherwise ready to go.
The device, which sounds like Apple’s take on the Echo Show formula, is designed to be a central AI hub though in a more Apple way. It is described as a square, iPad-like product with a 7-inch screen, a single USB-C port for power, and an interface built around circular app icons similar to the Apple Watch’s home screen.
The report says the display can recognize who walks up, then pull in that person’s calendar appointments, reminders, notes, music, and news preferences.
Also read: Meta glasses face a privacy fight over claims that intimate footage was reviewed by contractors.
That helps explain why Siri matters so much here. Apple wants all of its new Siri features ready by the time it launches the iPhone 18 Pro in September, with the home device expected to run a tvOS 27 variant based on Apple TV software. Apple had originally hoped to get the Siri upgrade out much sooner, but the longer this drags on, the harder it is to treat Siri as a side project.
Along-side Apple is also working on other AI-focused devices, including smart glasses, camera-equipped AirPods, and a pendant-style product, all of them lined up for after Siri’s rollout. Meaning they are not likely to be affected unless there is another delay.
Y. Anush Reddy is a contributor to this blog.
