Apple $AAPL (+0.23%) plans to launch a new tablet device called Home Hub in spring 2026, which will serve as the central control unit for the smart home.
As Bloomberg specialist Mark Gurman reports, the device will be manufactured by Chinese electric car manufacturer BYD $1211 (+1.04%) in Vietnam.
With this decision, Apple is continuing its strategy of reducing its production dependency on China - particularly in view of tariff measures under the Trump administration.
》Two versions for different usage scenarios《
The display with a size of around seven inches is available in two versions. The J490 model has an integrated speaker base, while the J491 model is designed for wall mounting.
Both variants will be available at a price of around 350 dollars - higher than the current HomePod, but significantly cheaper than more powerful iPads.
One reason for this could be that the new device does not need to perform complex multimedia tasks.
》More than just an ordinary Apple tablet《
Unlike an iPad, the Home Hub is designed as a shared device that can be used by different family members.
The device uses facial recognition to recognize who is approaching and adjusts the information displayed accordingly.
This way, one person in the kitchen can have access to recipes and podcasts, while someone else in the living room controls music with Apple Music.
》A preview of Apple's smart future《
Apple apparently anticipates that households could use several of these tablets at different mounting points.
In addition, an intelligent indoor camera is expected by the end of 2026.
A robotic version with a larger screen and a movable arm, similar to the iMac G4, is set to follow in 2027 for around 1,000 dollars. This will presumably rely even more heavily on Apple Intelligence.
