Apple is working on a home hub that incorporates Siri AI, and it's set to launch as soon as this year. The home hub will use a Widget Gallery that lets users select the content they want to appear on the device's home screen. Mentions of the Widget Gallery were found in macOS Tahoe 26.7, an update that leaked a long list of unreleased Apple products . The strings were found in a file named PosterKit-J490, and J490 is the codename for the home hub. PosterKit is Apple's framework for Lock Screen customization, and the hub's home screen could have many of the same options for icons, widgets, and clock faces. Apple already uses the Widget Gallery on iPhone, iPad , and Mac for adding widgets to the Home Screen and Lock Screen of those devices, and the home hub will have a similar mechanism. Based on the code, widgets installed on a linked iPhone will be suggested on the home hub, much like how iPhone widgets are available on a Mac without an app being installed. It looks like third-party app widgets may be supported in addition to Apple's own apps. iPhone app widgets displayed on the home hub will have information mirrored from the iPhone. All users in the home will be able to see the widgets installed on the home hub, but content in widgets will only be visible when the primary linked device is in the home for privacy protection. A Smart Stack will automatically rotate through widgets to show relevant information throughout the day, and users will also be able to flip through the different Smart Stack options. Apple already has Smart Stack on its other devices, including the Apple Watch. The home hub isn't expected to have its own App Store , but it will support Apple apps like Safari, Apple News , Apple Music , Notes, Calendar, Photos , and Home. Tapping on an installed widget from the home screen could launch a full app with more information. Code references a Face Gallery too, suggesting users will be able to select different clock options for the device's home screen, and it indicates that the hub will be able to be added to HomeKit scenes and automations alongside other smart home accessories. Apple's hub is expected to have a 7-inch square display with options to put it on a base or mount it on the wall. More information about the device can be found in our guide . Tag: Apple Command Center This article, " Apple's Home Hub Will Have a Widget Gallery With iPhone Widget Support " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
The camera-equipped AirPods that we've confirmed Apple is working on are likely going to be part of the AirPods Pro lineup rather than separate "AirPods Ultra." A macOS Tahoe 26.7 file that references the new AirPods is labeled "AirPods Pro," hinting at the new name. It's possible that's a placeholder name, so AirPods Ultra isn't entirely out of the question, but given Apple put a full video of the new AirPods in the software, there isn't much need for a placeholder. Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman said in March that Apple was considering several devices with the Ultra name, including the foldable iPhone Ultra , AirPods Ultra, and an OLED MacBook Ultra , but that may not be a term we see for the new AirPods. He suggested Apple might use the name because the camera-equipped AirPods were expected to be more expensive than the $249 AirPods Pro 3 , so Apple's "Pro" choice could also be a hint that pricing won't be too far off the current model. Rumors about camera-equipped AirPods have been a little confusing, and that could account for any naming discrepancies. Most of the rumors about the AirPods with a camera were about a product with the codename B798 . In June, Gurman said the camera AirPods had been delayed because of issues with Siri AI, and would not launch until September 2027 alongside the 20th anniversary iPhone. In early August, Gurman revised his launch timing and said Apple was close to debuting camera AirPods with the codename B790. The B790 AirPods had apparently been progressing alongside the B798 model, and Gurman said the company "famously creates competing versions of the same product internally," with B790 closer to launch than B798. It's not known if there are differences between the B790 and B798 products Apple has been working on, but it looks like we're going to see the camera AirPods this year. The AirPods video in ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.7 suggests the device is near-ready to launch. The camera in the AirPods will not be used for capturing photos and videos and will instead feed visual information to ‌Siri‌ AI for an easier-to-use version of Visual Intelligence . Related Roundup: AirPods Pro 3 Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Neutral) Related Forum: AirPods This article, " Apple's Camera AirPods May Launch as 'AirPods Pro,' Not 'AirPods Ultra' " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
There's already social media outrage that AirPods Pro are going to get a camera very soon. Like with mockery about the Snuggie, the Clapper, and so forth, most of the drama badly misses the point. AirPods Pro 2 Meta's AI specs are creepy. They have nearly invisible cameras, whose main protection for the non-wearer is a light that is easily defeated by a piece of electrical tape. This is just the way that they want it . The "protections" that Meta has implemented are pointless by design. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
