Apple HomePad, the smart display Apple has been rumoured to build for years, will reportedly act like a giant Apple Watch when it finally arrives. Code in the latest macOS 26.7 beta suggests the device’s home screen will feature customisable “Faces” and a “Face Gallery” — Apple Watch-style watch faces, scaled up — alongside widget Smart Stacks that rotate through the day.
The findings come from Filipe Espósito of Engadget, who dug through the beta after 9to5Mac reported it references a slate of unreleased home products — a new HomePod mini, a security camera and a next-generation Siri remote for the Apple TV 4K. Our own round-up of the macOS Tahoe 26.7 leak covered the rest.
What the macOS 26.7 code says about Apple HomePad
The HomePad is expected to run a variant of tvOS, but the interface described in the code is closer to a wearable than a set-top box. Faces are customisable with widgets, Smart Stacks switch content through the day, and iPhone app widgets can be added to the display in a Handoff-style flow. Support for Siri AI and App Intents is also expected.
There is also a privacy feature: personal information in widgets would only appear while the iPhone is nearby. Walk out of the room, and the display shows the time without the appointments.
Two variants are expected: one with a speaker base in the shape of a HomePod, and a wall-mounted version. The beta’s references to “HomeAccessory_wall” back the second one up.
HomePad price, release date and the UAE
Nothing is confirmed. Early rumours pointed to a spring 2026 launch, which slipped; current reports suggest the HomePad family could arrive around September or later this year, with pricing rumoured around $350. No UAE price or availability has been announced, and Apple has not commented.
While waiting, the current HomePod 2nd generation sells from AED 1,899 on Amazon.ae — the closest thing to the HomePad that exists today.
What is the Apple HomePad?
The Apple HomePad is Apple’s long-rumoured smart display: a HomePod-style speaker with a screen, expected in speaker-base and wall-mounted variants. Apple has not announced it.
When will the Apple HomePad launch?
Nothing is confirmed. Rumours originally pointed to spring 2026, then slipped; current reports suggest the HomePad family could arrive around September or later this year.
How much will the Apple HomePad cost?
No official pricing exists. Rumours put the home hub at around $350 (about AED 1,285), well below the current HomePod 2nd generation’s AED 1,899 price on Amazon.ae.
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