April 10, 2025, 9:23 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Apple had actually planned a completely new product, including its own operating system, for 2025. However, problems with the development of the in-house AI mean that the launch date has had to be postponed.
As TECHBOOK already reported, the launch of a smart hub in the form of a “home tablet” was planned for this year. The iPad-like device is intended to serve as a new smart home center and expand the product range beyond HomePods. However, the most important prerequisite for the device — a capable AI assistant — is still missing.
Siri Not Ready for Use as a Smart Home Hub
Although the new smart home hub has a display, it is primarily controlled by voice. According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, Apple initially expected to be able to present the device later in 2025 — together with the new iPhone 17 models, for example. The device, codenamed J490, is already being tested at Apple HQ and by employees at home. A successor with additional sensors and a robotic arm is also in the works. However, due to the delays in the development of Siri, a launch before 2026 seems increasingly unlikely.
Artificial intelligence is currently driving Apple into a corporate crisis. In September 2024, a new, AI-supported “Smarter Siri” and one of the biggest innovations in iOS 18 was introduced together with the iPhone 16 series. The assistant is designed to better understand natural language and complex queries and provide answers based on the user’s personal context. Apple also demonstrated how Siri operates apps for users and performs actions. However, no one has yet been able to actually try out these features — which is hardly surprising, as they are not yet ready for use.
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Launch Date Still Uncertain
The best example of how the more intelligent Siri works is a promotional clip featuring The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey, which Apple has since removed. In the video, Ramsey asks Siri for the name of a person she once met in a café, and the AI can retrieve the exact date and name of the person. However, the assistant is currently not capable of mastering such complex processes. In an internal meeting, the proceedings of which are available to Bloomberg, the head of the Siri department, Robby Walker, is said to have stated that the missing Siri functions may not be coming to iOS 19. Walker called the situation “ugly and embarrassing.”
The new Siri was actually supposed to be released in spring together with iOS 18.4 or 18.5. The company has now postponed the launch to 2026. We can, therefore, only expect a new smart home product from Apple in the course of next year.