We’ve been hearing multiple rumors about Apple working on a new home accessory that combines capabilities of an iPad, Apple TV, and HomePod. A few months ago, references to a “HomeAccessory” were found in Apple’s backend code. Now 9to5Mac has learned more details about this new device.
According to reliable sources familiar with the matter, the leaked “HomeAccessory” is indeed Apple’s new smart home accessory. Codenamed J490, the device will be powered by the A18 chip, presumably to support Apple Intelligence features (which won’t be available on current HomePods).
Interestingly, sources told us that the HomeAccessory in its current state has a squarish display, rather than a rectangular format like an iPad. It’s unclear whether the square aspect ratio will make it into the final product. HomeAccessory also has a built-in camera that works for FaceTime and other video conferencing apps.
We also learned that the device uses the camera to …