According to Gurman, Apple plans to unveil an AI-enabled smart home hub with a built-in camera by the end of this year.

Apple has reportedly been planning a major overhaul of its smart home products, including a futuristic tabletop device with a robotic arm that can traverse your desk. Before that high-end model arrives, though, the company may first release a more affordable version that omits some of the premium features. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, this entry-level hub—codenamed J490—could hit shelves before year’s end. It would sport a roughly 7-inch, iPad-style touchscreen in a square form, complete with a front-facing camera, built-in speakers and battery, and integration with Apple Intelligence. Its interface is said to blend elements of watchOS and the iPhone’s StandBy mode, and it will run Apple’s new homeOS. Meanwhile, the flagship, arm-equipped J595 device—designed to include a unique AI persona and a screen comparable in size to an iPad—has been delayed but remains on track for launch a year or two later. These moves represent Apple’s bid to regain footing in the smart home arena against entrenched rivals like Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Nest.