Apple Expands Smart Home Hardware With New Smart Display, Updated Apple TV 4K, and Partner Ecosystem

Apple Inc. expanded its smart home hardware portfolio with a new 7-inch smart display, an updated entry-level HomePod mini, a faster Apple TV 4K set-top box, and a collection of partner-developed home accessories, as reported by SiliconANGLE (https://siliconangle.com/2026/10/13/apple-debuts-new-smart-home-devices-partner-developed-hardware/).

The company's new 7-inch smart display adjusts screen brightness automatically based on the time of day and alters graphics rendering when users step away to keep information legible from a distance. The display also incorporates facial recognition to personalize on-screen content for up to six individual user profiles.

Apple is offering the smart display in two configurations: a wall-mounted model packaged with three mounting brackets and two internal speakers, and a tabletop model with three speakers and an aluminum base. The tabletop variant features a stainless steel hinge for manual tilt adjustments, along with two force-cancelling passive radiators engineered to prevent chassis rattle and maintain audio clarity.

Apple also introduced the HomePod mini 2, an updated entry-level smart speaker equipped with a dynamic lighting panel synchronized to music playback. The device tailors acoustic settings automatically to individual tracks and runs audio processing and Siri on Apple's S10 chip, which originally debuted in the 2024 Apple Watch series. Through Siri, users can control apps on connected iPhones or iPads and adjust smart home hardware configurations.

The newly updated Apple TV 4K pairs with up to four HomePod mini 2 units to create a multi-speaker home theater configuration, with speakers automatically detecting their relative positions to calibrate output. Driven by a custom A19 system-on-chip, the set-top box delivers up to 50% faster CPU performance and up to twice the GPU speed of its predecessor, alongside a dedicated hardware decompression module designed to lower bandwidth consumption during video playback. Its accompanying remote control adds support for Apple's Find My network, enabling audible alerts and map-based tracking.

Complementing its first-party devices, Apple unveiled the Apple Home Collection, a suite of connected hardware manufactured by LG Corp. and Schneider Electric SE. The initial catalog includes four security cameras—including a video doorbell unit—a smart door lock, two thermostats, and standalone temperature and sensor accessories. The partner devices integrate directly with the Apple Home app, with features such as LG's door lock unlocking automatically when approached by an authorized iPhone storing a digital key.