What Does the Siri Apple Intelligence Delay Mean for Apple's Rumored Smart Home Command Center?
Apple is delaying some of the Apple Intelligence Siri features that it expected to be able to introduce as part of iOS 18, and it's not clear what that means for the rumored smart home hub that the company is working on.
The hub has been described as a "Command Center" for controlling Wi-Fi connected smart home products, and rumors suggest that Siri's planned feature set is meant to play a major role in the device's functionality. Siri is supposed to be getting smarter, able to learn more about users and to do more in and between apps, which would go a long way toward making a smart home control device more appealing.
Back in November, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the device had been designed around App Intents, the more advanced app and task control feature set that is delayed. Gurman also said that it would be marketed as a way to chat with Siri, and that the device is "designed to bring Siri and Apple Intelligence to life in a way that hasn't happened before."
Gurman initially said the device could launch as soon as March 2025, but in January, he suggested Apple would not make that timeline due to Siri delays. With the Siri Apple Intelligence features being pushed back even further, it's entirely possible Apple's "Command Center" won't be ready to go until 2026.
Apple's acknowledgement of the delay suggests that the Siri capabilities aren't going to be introduced until iOS 19, and the timing remains unclear.
The smart home hub is expected to look something like a mini iPad, and it will be square in shape with a six-inch display. In addition to controlling smart home products, it will have a selection of Apple apps so people will be able to make video calls, look up recipes, listen to music, access their calendars, view photos, and more.
Popular Stories
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models.
The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras
Under-screen Face ID
Front camera in...
Apple is rumored to be introducing a foldable iPhone in September 2026, and since it will bring the biggest form factor change since the iPhone was introduced in 2007, curiosity about the design is high. A 3D designer created an iPhone Fold design based on rumors, and we printed it out to see how it compares to Apple's current iPhones.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more ...
Apple's restrained artificial intelligence strategy may pay off in 2026 amid the arrival of a revamped Siri and concerns around the AI market "bubble" bursting, The Information argues.
The speculative report notes that Apple has taken a restrained approach with AI innovations compared with peers such as OpenAI, Google, and Meta, which are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in data...
The Apple Fitness+ Instagram account today teased that the service has "big plans" for 2026. In a video, several Apple Fitness+ trainers are shown holding up newspapers with headlines related to Apple Fitness+.
What's Apple Fitness+ Planning for the New Year?
Something Big is Coming to Apple Fitness+
The Countdown Begins. Apple Fitness+ 2026 is Almost Here
2026 Plans Still Under ...
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones.
iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features.
Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen
A new slider in the Lock...
Apple reportedly tested a version of the first-generation AirPods with bright, iPhone 5c-like colored charging cases.
The images, shared by the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami," claim to show first-generation AirPods prototypes with pink and yellow exterior casings. The interior of the charging case and the earbuds themselves remain white.
They seem close to some...
iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max owners are having trouble with the speakers of their devices, and have complained about a static or hissing noise that occurs when the iPhone is charging.
There are multiple discussions about the issue on Reddit, the MacRumors forums, and Apple's Support Community, where affected users say there is a noticeable static noise "like an old radio." Some people report...
