Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) last week left one product conspicuously absent from the keynote: homeOS 26, the long-rumoured software expected to power a new generation of HomePod-style devices.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the story says Apple originally planned to launch homeOS alongside new smart-home hardware at a March event but pushed everything back when its headline Siri-with-Apple-Intelligence upgrade slipped to 2026.
Why homeOS Matters
homeOS is believed to be a fork of tvOS aimed at unifying Apple’s scattered home strategy. Gurman’s newsletter notes that the software is still on the roadmap and will likely debut with at least one of three prototypes Apple is testing:
- A HomePod with integrated display: For glanceable widgets, video playback, and Smart Display-style controls.
- A swivelling “squared” screen on an arm: That combines a camera, speaker, and Apple Intelligence on-device processing.
- A premium $1,000 tabletop hub: Positioned as Apple’s answer to Amazon’s Echo Show 10.
Analysts expect the final release to morph tvOS 26 into homeOS 26 so the same codebase can eventually manage Apple TVs, HomePods, and future first-party security accessories.
The WWDC Highlights You May Have Missed
Gurman’s Power On newsletter argues that developers paid more attention to Liquid Glass, the translucent design language in iOS 26, than to some of Apple’s most practical upgrades. Among the sleeper hits:
- CarPlay 2025: Widgets, Live Activities, and banner-style call alerts bring Apple’s automotive UI closer to the iPhone experience, while AirPlay video in park mode hints at future in-car entertainment ambitions.
- iPadOS 26 multitasking: A full windowing overhaul finally lets iPad users tile, expose, and resize apps Mac-style, closing the productivity gap.
- visionOS 26 eye-scrolling: Vision Pro owners can now scroll webpages hands-free by simply looking up or down, an accessibility win that doubles as a sci-fi party trick.
Gurman also reiterates that the long-delayed Siri overhaul, originally pegged to show up in this year’s keynote, has internally been re-timed for spring 2026, giving Apple’s “Apple Intelligence” team breathing room to catch up with rivals.
If Apple keeps its typical fall cadence, developer betas of its 2026-series operating systems will land in July, with public releases in September. The more interesting date, however, may be October, when Apple usually holds its second event of the year, an ideal slot for unveiling the long-teased smart-home hardware and homeOS 26 in a consumer-centric context after the developer-heavy WWDC spotlight.
Until then, the Cupertino giant’s message is clear: the smart-home push hasn’t been scrapped—it’s merely waiting for the right stage and for Siri to get a brain transplant.
That looks cool.