Apple is ready to get serious about the smart home in 2025
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Apple has a master plan to conquer the smart home, and after years of HomeKit being a hobby, it all starts in 2025. Here's What Apple
The smart home market has been slow to grow, but it's also been changing quickly. That's left Apple, at least on the surface, behind the competition.
The past few years have seen new standards for connectivity and operation across platforms, dozens of new types of devices, and countless new products hit the market.
As Google, Amazon, and others surge ahead, Apple needs to get to the forefront. With a slate of software and hardware planned, it appears poised to do just that.
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Matter Brings Everyone Together
There's one big reason it makes sense for Apple to take its shot now, of all times. That reason is Matter, and before we get to everything else, we have to start with it.
Matter is a new open standard for smart homes developed by the Communications Standards Alliance, a member-led organization that includes Apple, Samsung, Amazon, Google, and hundreds of others.
Matter hasn't made the big splash it was expected to, but it's getting better
This standard does a lot of things, but the simplest is that it allows a device maker to create a product that gets certified by Matter and works across all smart home platforms.
This includes Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, Amazon Alexa, and Apple Home — formerly known as HomeKit.
Beyond compatibility, what makes Matter so interesting is its support for new features and devices. For example, readers may know that Apple will add support for robotic vacuum cleaners in 2025 using Matter.
Robotic vacuums will be supported in iOS 18.3 in early 2025 thanks to Matter 1.2
The latest versions of Matter include support for large appliances like refrigerators, stoves, washers and dryers, there are chargers for electric vehicles and whole-house batteries, even water heaters. It is constantly expanding,
Imagine asking Siri if you have enough hot water for a shower, how long it takes for your clothes to dry, or setting a rule for charging your electric car when your electricity rate is lowest.
All of this is possible with the latest version of Matter.
There have been absolute delays in the rollout of Matter over the past couple of years, but things are finally starting to pick up as adoption increases.
In addition to Matter, we also have Thread. Thread is a wireless communications protocol like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or Zigbee.
So Matter is the intelligence behind how they all work together, and Thread is how they connect. You might have Apple Home devices running Thread, but many companies are choosing to run Thread alongside Matter.
Thread networks span multiple products, are self-healing, use less power than Bluetooth, and are faster than Zigbee or Z-Wave. They create a mesh network throughout your home that is self-healing, uses very little power, and has high latency. This gives them several advantages over traditional connectivity standards. Apple has been supporting Thread for years. It has already added it to the iPhone, HomePod, HomePod mini, and Apple TV 4K. Oddly enough, Apple has also secretly added it to the Mac and iPad. It just hasn’t included the radio yet. Once it fully launches its smart home plans, many homes will be able to get a head start on a robust Thread network in their homes with a simple software update.
The company built this network with the expectation of a big push into the smart home, simply laying the groundwork for years to come. Only now are Apple’s plans becoming clear.
Finally, physical Apple Home controls
Apple’s master plan will likely be revealed with the launch of the company’s big new smart home product, a smart home display. It will be essential to its plans.
The latest rumors point to a 6-7-inch display in a compact form factor that could either be wall-mounted or docked. The dock could also offer premium speakers like the high-end HomePod.
The display will house a FaceTime camera. When placed on a base, the camera will be able to follow you around the room thanks to a built-in motor.
It seems extravagant and requires a lot of effort. Despite this, Apple is once again ahead of everyone.
A quick mockup of the HomePod with the Control Display
For those who remember, Apple has something called DockKit that it has been offering for a couple of years now. It is a framework that allows a third-party stand to use the built-in camera and follow you around.
There are already a few of these devices on the market for your iPhone. We saw one from Insta360, as well as one we got to see in person from Belkin.
We believe that Apple will use this DockKit technology as the basis for its smart home display stand. It is possible that third parties will be able to make compatible stands and mounts as well, not just Apple.
Bloomberg said that the camera will also be able to identify people in the home even if their faces are not visible. Apple does something similar with HomeKit's secure video analysis, but it sounds more accurate than it actually is.
Determining who the people are will be important, just like with HomePod queries. The smart display will know who’s asking the question so it can find out what information belongs to them.
It knows who’s trying to send a message, which inbox to check for new messages, or who wants to add a movie to their Apple TV watch list. Especially if hand movements are recognized.
Finally, this display will almost certainly support Apple Intelligence. The potential timing coincides with Apple’s promised personal Apple Intelligence update — how convenient.
This makes sense, because you’ll be able to get visual answers to your questions. And there should be some support for apps that can tie into Apple Intelligence through new app intents.
Right now, the Home app is the easiest way to control your home. A smart display will help
Apple has needed a physical smart home control panel for a while now. A way to see the doorbell ring, easily control your lights, or monitor camera feeds.
Every other smart home platform has them except Apple. Amazon just released new versions of its smart displays that can also be wall-mounted, like this one.
After years of rumors, we finally know a likely release date: early 2025. Possibly a spring event.
However, another rumor has now emerged that Q3 2025 is more likely. At least for production.
We obviously don't know what Apple is planning here. Things like supply chain reports can be accurate, but they often don't tell the whole story.
Apple could announce and unveil the product in early 2025, then give developers time to prepare their apps and have a big demo of software improvements at WWDC before releasing the product to the public in the fall.
That could explain the production delay and still have an earlier launch this year.
While this smart display will be central to Apple's plans, it's not the whole picture. There are four more products planned.
Updates to Familiar Products
The first of these devices will be an updated HomePod mini. We don't know much about that device at this point.
The HomePod mini should see its first hardware update in 2025
It will likely keep the same form factor, increase the processor, and possibly improve the sound somewhat thanks to years of additional development time.
Another Bloomberg report says that this new HomePod mini will be one of the first devices to use Apple's own wireless chip.
This new Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip could provide improved connectivity between devices, which would be useful for smart home applications where accessories need to respond instantly.
The second device is an updated full-size HomePod. Technically, this would be a third-generation device.
A new full-size HomePod is in active development
The new HomePod mini is planned for 2025, while the full-size HomePod is less clear. It hasn't been mentioned in many rumors, though we've seen at least one component allegedly leak.
There's also a good chance that the rumors are combining an actual smart display and this new HomePod with a display.
The current HomePod display is minimal
The biggest change with this will be the updated top screen, which will be full color and touch-sensitive. More screen than what we have now.
The third upcoming device will be the new Apple TV. It has reportedly been ready for release for some time.
It is possible that this new Apple TV has been delayed due to its close ties to the upcoming smart display. This new display runs a modified version of tvOS.
A lot of the new elements of tvOS look like they would be at home on a smart display. Things like the new splash screen refresh interface and Control Center.
Apple TV 4K should have been updated, at least the processor
It would make more sense to debut them closer to each other, since they have similar code and likely features. In fact, Apple could introduce an entirely new version of its software called homeOS that would be dedicated exclusively to these smart home devices.
Another reason why some announcements around WWDC could be likely.
A new product for your home
Apple's latest device is its own smart home camera. This one is especially exciting for us.
This is a 2026 launch, so don't get too excited about a quick release. This camera will likely support Matter, which currently doesn't support cameras.
As CSA CEO Tobin Richardson recently told us on the HomeKit Insider podcast, cameras will be supported by the standard very soon.
Logitech Circle View is a great HomeKit Secure Video camera
The Matter 1.5 spec will be announced in the spring, and it could include cameras. That would give Apple the rest of the year to finalize the camera for a 2026 release.
You can expect features like advanced AI-powered facial recognition, HomeKit secure video recording at resolutions higher than 1080p, and a high degree of privacy and security.
Needless to say, it will also be integrated into the smart display. Watch live video, get motion alerts, and more.
No Longer a Hobby
Let's get this over with, shall we?
Apple is about to release an all-new smart display with support for a ton of new device types, an entire smart home operating system, and several new smart home accessories.
Homes will have robust Thread networks to connect everything together. Your doors will be able to unlock when you approach.
And you'll have an AI-powered Siri to help control and automate your devices that will have a natural understanding of you and your family.
Unlocking Level Lock via the Home app
That's a lot of steps from Apple, which has historically been slow and deliberate in its moves in the smart home space. It's proof that Apple is ready to take the smart home seriously.
Between Matter, Thread, and Apple Intelligence, the pieces are finally ready for Apple to put it all together. Maybe it'll be a little more competitive in this growing field now.
Time will tell.
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