Apple’s Upcoming Home Display Might Act Like a Giant Apple Watch

Earlier this week, Apple released macOS 26.7 Tahoe, and it seems that it came with quite a bit of information about unreleased Apple products hidden inside. That includes a video demo of the mythic AirPods with Cameras, hints at a new Apple TV 4K, and a laundry list of hardware identifiers that have left many folks guessing.

Some of these aren’t all that surprising. After all, we know there are new iPhones, Apple Watches, and Macs coming in the next few months, and a bunch of cryptic code numbers don’t really tell us anything the rest of the rumor mill hasn’t already shared.

Nevertheless, one set of information was a bit more interesting, as it speaks to Apple’s home hardware lineup — particularly the much-rumored home hub. While reports of this go back to late 2024, it seems that it’s been repeatedly delayed, not because the hardware wasn’t ready, but because Siri wasn’t.

Apple’s smart home hub has gone by different predicted identities over the years, from a HomePod with a screen or simply “Home Hub” to the clever “HomePad” name that’s currently in vogue — but also has no basis in reality beyond the usual speculation.

While the initial dump of data from macOS 26.7 identified the devices, new code has been spotted by Filipe Espósito at Engadget that gives us a few new clues on what the device’s user interface could look like.

The consensus has long been that the home hub would adopt an iPad-style interface, since it’s expected to have a square seven-inch screen, but now it appears the shape of the screen may be more important than its size.

According to Espósito’s findings, although the new home hub is expected to run a variant of tvOS, much like Apple’s HomePod speakers, the user interface could borrow its inspiration from watchOS.

That’s hinted at by references to “Faces” and a “Face Gallery,” suggesting that the larger screen will use larger versions of Apple Watch faces that can be customized with different widgets and Smart Stacks that change throughout the day.

Of course, that doesn’t mean it will run watchOS apps. If anything, the home hub is likely to have its own category of apps — at least eventually. Some reports have suggested that the first version might eschew third-party app support, relying instead on whatever Apple chooses to build in. That’s expected to include Notes, FaceTime, Reminders, and Calendar.

Espósito doesn’t comment on that, but he does note that the code suggests that iPhone widgets will be available on the platform, similar to how macOS Sonoma added them three years ago. To ensure privacy, the new home hub will be able to determine which widgets to display based on the proximity of the user’s iPhone. It’s not entirely clear if this will support multiple users, but it seems likely.

The leaked code also seems to indicate that Apple has two models in the works, with separate references to “HomeAccessory” and “HomeAccessory_wall” in the code. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who was the first to report on Apple’s current plans, has been predicting a wall-mounted home hub since 2024. Gurman has also often said that the hardware is at the stage where key employees have already been using this device in their own homes, claiming it’s Siri that’s been holding it back since early 2025, when Apple’s improvements to its voice assistant were initially supposed to launch.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]