Oliver Haslam·

New Apple “Home Accessory” Leaks, But What Is It?

Apple has long been thought to have plans to launch a new device that is essentially a HomePod with a touchscreen attached, but while we’ve seen rumors of such a thing from various reports over the last few months, Apple has so far kept quiet.

Now, the company might have leaked the fact that it is indeed working on something.

That comes after MacRumors reported that it spotted references to a new “HomeAccessory17,1” device in Apple’s back end.

That reference also suggests that this device will be powered by an Apple A18 chip similar to that used in the upcoming iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, likely ensuring that it supports the Apple Intelligence group of features that will ship later this year.

It’s unclear what form this device will actually take, but it’s clear that it’s a new category based on the reference spotted by MacRumors.

The code also indicates that this “home accessory” will be running a software variant of tvOS, much like the ‌HomePod‌. Earlier this year, MacRumors found evidence of Apple’s work on homeOS, which could be the firmware running on this device.

The fact that the reference can be found today suggests that Apple may be getting closer to unveiling whatever the product will be and if that’s the case, it could launch within months. Apple is expected to announce the new iPhones and Apple Watches in September, so it’s possible this mystery device could ship alongside those products.

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