Apple will build its new home hub and indoor security camera in Vietnam in 2026, with a robot oming in 2027, reports Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. The goal is to reduce its independence on China companies for its manufacturing needs.
About the home hub
The home hub — which has been dubbed the “HomePad” or “Control Center” — will likely cost about US$350, Gurman predicts. He thinks it will pack an iPad-like 7-inch display, and it will be able to run apps and control smart home devices.
Gurman says there are two versions in the works: a table top model and one designed to be wall-mounted. He adds that both models will include a FaceTime camera for video calls, and sensors to recognize the person that’s using it and adjust to an individual’s smart home preferences.
About the camera and a doorbell
About the camera, Gurman has had this to say: “The device has facial recognition and infrared sensors to determine who is in a room. Apple believes users will place cameras throughout their home to help with automation. That could mean turning lights off when someone leaves a room or automatically playing music liked by a particular family member.”
Previously, Gurman has said that Apple is also working on a smart doorbell with advanced facial recognition that wirelessly connects to a deadbolt lock. The idea is that the doorbell could automatically unlock the door for a home’s residents by scanning their face — just like Face ID lets them into their iPhone.
“Work on the doorbell is still in the early stages, though,” he has said previously, in a December 2024 report. “I’m told not to expect anything to come to market before the end of next year at the soonest. If it ultimately debuts, I expect it to make good use of the company’s upcoming Proxima wireless chip and its secure enclave feature, which helps protects customers’ data.”
About the robot
The robot is likely to have a 7-inch screen on a movable arm. “The idea is for the device to act like a person in a room. It could interrupt a conversation between friends about dinner plans, say, and suggest nearby restaurants or relevant recipes,” Gurman wrote back in August. “It’s also being designed to engage in back-and-forth discussions for things like planning a trip or getting tasks done — similar to OpenAI’s voice mode.”
The “Apple Bot” (my moniker, not Gurman’s or Apple’s) will be designed to support FaceTime calls and sport a Center Stage-like feature for moving around to follow folks in a room, he said. Gurman adds that users may be able to control the robot with a joystick.
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