What to know

  • Apple is reportedly working on a new Home Accessory device.
  • Codenamed ‘HomeAccessory17,1’, the new device could be a blend of a smart speaker and an adjustable touchscreen display.
  • The device could include the upcoming A18 series of chips, be powered by Apple Intelligence, and run on a new homeOS.

The rumors over Apple’s ‘Home Accessory’ now finally have some legs to stand on. First identified by MacRumors, leaked codes on Apple’s backend point to a new “HomeAccessory17,1,” a new identifier category. 

This is the first device to get the ‘HomeAccessory’ tag, which suggests it’s an entirely new product, something that is a cross between a smart speaker and an adjustable touchscreen display. Perhaps this is the Apple device that has long been rumored to compete with products like the Amazon Echo Show. 

Another important clue that is buried in the “17,1” number is that the device will most likely get Apple’s upcoming A18 chip series. The discrepancy between the numbers is down to Apple’s own numbering conventions. So, in all likelihood, the new device will receive the latest Apple chips, which will also be present on all iPhone 16 models slated to arrive later this year.

Apple Intelligence, the company’s very own AI platform, requires at least an A17 Pro chip. There’s every possibility, then, that the new home accessory could be powered by Apple Intelligence and even include an upgraded version of Siri.   

Similar to the HomePod, the codes also reveal that the home accessory, whatever it turns out to be eventually, will run on a variant of tvOS. This variant, which will specifically be for smart-home devices, and has also been in the works for some time, is reportedly dubbed homeOS.  

With the next Apple launch event only a few months away, it may not be long before we see this new device along with the slew of other Apple products, including the next iPhone series. Stay tuned for more updates along the way! Until next time!