Apple HomeKit has all the time lagged behind Alexa and Google Assistant, notably missing a sensible show much like that of the Echo Present 15 or the Nest Hub. Rumors counsel that the corporate’s subsequent gadget may rectify that. MacRumors reported code present in Apple’s backend that referenced one thing known as HomeAccessory17,1. That may not look like a lot to go on till you notice that HomePod is equally named AudioAccessory.
There are nonetheless too few particulars to make any definitive conclusions, however we will enterprise an informed guess that the upcoming system is perhaps powered by the A18 chip and have AI-focused options. Apple already has plans to integrate OpenAI and Siri. Including AI-powered intelligence into a sensible house system would probably give it never-before-seen performance — maybe much more than what Alexa can at the moment supply, though Google Assistant’s use of Gemini may stage the taking part in discipline.
The code additionally hinted that the HomeAccessory — most likely not the ultimate title of the product — would run on a model of tvOS. If true, then this new gadget is perhaps a chimera-like construct of the iPad and HomePod. It’s hypothesis, but it surely may look much like the Google Pixel Tablet.
Different rumors counsel the following HomeKit system may include a digital camera for person identification and gesture recognition. Once more, take all of this with a grain of salt — none of it has been confirmed but, but it surely’s thrilling to see new developments in a sensible house platform that has largely been underrepresented.
With confirmed modifications coming to HomeKit in iOS 18 like enhanced visitor controls and robotic vacuum assist, HomeKit may lastly be getting the eye it wants.
