Another Delay! New Siri "Difficult Birth" Drags Down Hardware, Apple (AAPL.US) Smart Home Display Launch Postponed to September

According to sources familiar with the matter, Apple’s (AAPL.US) challenges in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector are affecting its product planning, forcing the company to delay the release of a long-anticipated smart home display device until later this year.

This device, codenamed J490, was originally scheduled for release in spring 2025, but the launch was postponed to allow Apple to complete development of the new version of Siri, which is a key component of the device’s interface. Sources say that Apple initially planned to launch the display this month, expecting the new Siri to be ready by then. However, due to further delays in Siri, Apple now has to push back the release of this smart home device again.

This situation highlights Apple’s urgent need to catch up with competitors in the AI field. Siri is at the core of its AI strategy—many future products will rely on this technology. But Apple has already postponed several long-term feature commitments, some of which were shown to consumers over two years ago.

This has also caused a disconnect between the company’s software and hardware plans. In fact, the development of this smart display device has been complete for months, but the company now plans to release it around September, when it expects the new Siri to finally be ready.

Apple aims to have all new Siri features ready by the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro in September this year. The upgraded Siri will be able to access users’ personal data to respond more effectively to queries. Apple is also redesigning the interface and underlying AI models to make Siri more like a modern chatbot. User data functionality is especially critical for the new home device, as it is designed to offer a highly personalized experience. Previously, Apple hoped all new Siri features would be ready in the 26.4 software update this year, but they are now testing versions 26.5 and 27.

The smart home display device is said to resemble a square iPad, mountable on a semi-circular speaker base or fixed to a wall, intended to serve as a central AI control hub for the home. Its user interface features a set of circular app icons arranged similarly to the main screen of the Apple Watch. A key highlight is a facial recognition system that can identify users as they approach the device. With this information, the device can display personalized content such as schedules, reminders, notes, music, and news preferences.

The device will feature a 7-inch screen, a USB-C port for power, and a classic silver aluminum casing. It will be the first among several home devices from Apple. The company plans to release a 9-inch version with a mechanical arm next year, along with a small home security sensor in development.

Currently, Apple plans to run this smart home display on a variant of tvOS 27, the latest version of its TV operating system, expected to launch in September. The new home OS is based on the underlying technology used in Apple TV. Before the recent delays caused by Siri, Apple had originally planned for the first batch of home devices to run a variant of tvOS 26, the current Apple TV software version.

Apple is also developing a series of other AI products, including a pendant-style device, AirPods with cameras, and smart glasses. These are expected to be released after the launch of the new Siri, so unless development encounters further issues, they are unlikely to be affected by the current delays.

Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering John Ternus plays a key role in the smart home project, viewing it as a major growth area for the company. Apple is also working on a new HomePod without a display and an updated Apple TV set-top box, both related to the new AI features. Since 2022, Apple TV hardware has not been updated, though its software received a new Liquid Glass interface last year.

Apple’s smart home ecosystem has lagged several years behind competitors like Amazon (AMZN.US) and Google (GOOGL.US). However, Apple still hopes to leverage its existing product ecosystem. The company announced in January that its user base has exceeded 2.5 billion.

In recent days, Apple has also released a series of new products, including the iPhone 17e, a low-cost MacBook Neo, iPad Air, external displays, and updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models. However, the company did not discuss any new progress regarding Siri, AI, or smart home devices—features that were originally scheduled to be showcased before this month.