🔜 Apple enters the smart home on October 13

📰 According to Gurman, Apple plans to launch several new devices:

• HomePad (J490) – smart home hub with a ~6–7" display
• HomePod mini 2 – new hardware, Siri AI support, new colors
• Apple TV 4K – A17 Pro chip or newer, Apple Intelligence, same design
• HomePod 3 – in the works, no release date yet

🐌 The launch was repeatedly delayed by Siri AI, even though Apple TV and HomePod mini have been ready for a long time.

📆 Coming later: a privacy-focused security camera and sensor (J450) that don't record video but can detect which room you're in, plus a bigger 9" HomePad with a robotic arm that rotates the screen 360°. Apple is also working with third-party makers on Siri AI-powered home devices.

@iPhone

🫨 John Ternus is preparing a major shake-up at Apple

📰 Bloomberg reports that Apple's new chief wants to flatten the corporate structure by cutting out layers of middle management that sit between engineering teams and top executives. The plan is still not finalized.

🔄 Ternus believes Apple needs to be faster and bolder to keep its market lead, with new devices released year-round instead of being tied to the fall and spring cycles.

🧲 That means rethinking R&D projects, production cycles, and operations. Bold experiments are expensive, so Ternus has already asked Eddy Cue and CFO Kevan Parekh to find ways to squeeze more profit out of Apple's existing services.

@DailyApple

📦 Apple Stores received mysterious "Do Not Open" boxes

📰 Apple retail stores received confidential boxes earlier this week with "Do Not Open Until October 8" stickers. The boxes are believed to contain new visual merchandise, which lets store staff update labels, graphics and product layouts around new releases.

🔮 What's likely coming: a smart home hub, a new Apple TV 4K and the HomePod mini 2. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Apple plans to introduce all three on October 13. The hub is reportedly called HomePad.

😐 Apple hasn't announced anything officially yet, so treat the details as rumors. MacRumors also notes the materials could relate to the iPhone Duo, though the smart home lineup seems more likely given the timing and secrecy.

@DailyApple

🎵 Apple Music is getting a new logo

📱 The new logo has been spotted in macOS 27.2 beta 3 and iOS 27.2 beta 3. It's identical to the one Apple used last month when announcing Apple Music Hall. At first it wasn't clear whether the design was exclusive to the venue. Now everything points to it being the new official logo for the streaming service.

🍎 Apple's official Apple Music website and web player still show the old logo, but it's only a matter of time. The public software updates are expected later this month, shortly after the iPhone Duo launch, so the new logo should be everywhere by then.

💬 What do you think of the new look?

@iPhone

More ℹ️ about “Welcome home” event on October 13

📰 The event will take place in New York at 9:00 AM ET on October 13. The tagline hints at a smart home theme, and rumors say Apple will launch new home products. The event will follow no traditional live video presentation, but with press releases, a demo area for the press, and promo videos online.

🤪 The display hub was originally planned for 2025, but the launch was delayed because of the postponed AI-powered Siri. Siri AI finally arrived in September, though it’s still labeled as a beta.

By the way, Apple may also unveil devices reportedly developed with LG: a video doorbell, a thermostat, and a home camera. They’re expected to be sold under the LG brand.

@iPhone