Apple “Welcome Home” Event LIVE — HomeView, Apple TV 4K, HomePod mini 2, and all the news as it happens

Apple + LG

While much of today’s news is Apple headlines, don’t forget that LG is expected to play a big role. Several products, including a doorbell, hands-free smart lock, thermostat and more, will likely be featured.

However, according to a report from Bloomberg, these LG and Apple devices aren’t expected to launch for a few months, so we’ll probably get a little taste of what the two companies are up to, but we won’t be able to buy them just yet.

Apple HomeView Key Specs

The Apple HomeView is expected to be announced today, and here are the key specs and features according to recent reports from Bloomberg.

• A18 chip
• 6-inch touchscreen
• Countertop model with metal enclosure base
• Wall version with flat and square base
• Siri AI voice control
• Works with LG devices including smart doorbell, deadbolt lock, thermostat and security cameras.
• Release date mid-November

Rumor has it that Apple’s HomeView could be freestanding or wall-mounted

Many Apple HomeView leaks and renders revolve around the fact that it’s an iPad stuck on a HomePod. But if you’re not necessarily looking for another device to sit on your counter, there might be an alternative option.

According to Mark Gurman’s Bloomberg report, the Apple HomeView will also be available as a wall-mounted display. While the free-standing version will be available in four different colors (space gray, silver, starlight and pink), the wall-mounted version will only be limited to space gray and silver.

I’m hoping for a new HomePod mini – it’s been years!

Do you remember the HomePod mini release date? That was in 2020. That’s right, it’s been more than half a decade since Apple’s smallest smart speaker received an update. However, Apple appears ready to remedy that situation today, with rumors that the long-awaited HomePod mini 2 is making an appearance.

Unfortunately, what actually changes may not be that big. Early leaks suggest the speaker will upgrade to the Apple Watch Series 10’s S10 processor and new colors. That’s… not much, but the power increase will mean it should be powerful enough to support Apple Intelligence and Siri AI.

Apple TV 4K could get a long-awaited update

While most of today’s announcements will focus on the smart home, Apple is also expected to refresh the Apple TV 4K set-top box. This will be the first update to the device since 2022 and could bring some welcome upgrades.

First, the new Apple TV should include built-in microphones so you can use Siri naturally, rather than having to talk to the remote. And second, the remote itself will now feature a speaker so users can locate it with an audio chime. Which should be fine if you keep losing it between the couch cushions.

Would you buy an Apple smart home hub?

If Apple’s HomeView product appeared today, would you consider buying one? If you’re a Tom’s Guide reader, you’ve probably already experimented with some smart home devices. Would you be interested in going all-in on Apple? Let me know in the poll below.

A partnership to keep the price low

Building a fully equipped smart home isn’t cheap. Rumors claim that Apple’s new HomeView could cost around $350, which is a bit more than Amazon’s $249 Echo Show.

Apple has never hesitated to offer aggressive prices, but it will not bear all the costs. A recent Bloomberg report says an “unusual” partnership with LG and Schneider Electric SE means Apple will be able to offer a compatible smart doorbell, deadbolt lock and thermostat as well as indoor and outdoor security cameras at a much lower cost than if it had developed them in-house.

The smart home industry is lucrative, but fragmented – Apple could change that

I understand why Apple wants to make a splash in the smart home world. According to a recent report, the global smart home products market was valued at $169 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach $385 billion by 2035.

The problem is that setting up your home to be fully automated involves a complex web of products, ecosystems, and processes. Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Nest platforms are established, but manufacturers like LG, Samsung and Sony are also in the game. The open source Matter connectivity standard has helped things somewhat, but it’s yet another system that consumers need to be able to identify with.

What I expect (and what I’m not)

There have been some pretty solid rumors and leaks that give us a good idea of ​​what to expect today. And, unfortunately, it doesn’t look like we’ll see any new MacBooks or iPads today. These are usually a staple of October events, but today Apple is going to focus on the smart home.

This is traditionally an area where the company has played on the fringes – I love my OG HomePod, but Apple’s smart speakers have been outpaced by rivals from Google and Amazon. So I expect three or four concrete things from today’s event:

• A new screen-based smart home hub likely to be called Apple HomeView
• A new Apple TV 4K device.
• A new HomePod or HomePod mini – probably the latter.
• A look at third-party HomeKit devices designed to work with HomeView and Siri AI to create a trusted ecosystem.

Welcome to our coverage of today’s Apple event

Hello and welcome to today’s live blog covering Apple’s October 2026 hardware event. While the September iPhone event is part of the tech release calendar, an October event is less certain. Now, Apple is believed to be taking a giant step toward solidifying its smart home ambitions.

We’ll likely see new products and hear about interesting smart home partnerships that could allow Apple to mount a serious challenge to companies like Amazon and Google. Stay tuned!