An Apple smart home display powered by the A18 chip and equipped with a front-facing ultra-wide camera is among more than ten unreleased products whose references were exposed inside a MacOS Tahoe 26.7 developer build released earlier this week.
The leak is broader than the initial device list suggested. Beyond the expected iPhone 18 family, MacRumors found references to first-ever OLED displays for MacBook and iPad mini models, an updated Siri Remote believed to accompany a next-generation Apple TV 4K, and two previously undisclosed Beats headphone models under codenames B518 and B522.
What the Apple Smart Home Display Leak Actually Shows
The centrepiece of the smart home disclosures is the J490 home hub. Macworld, citing internal pre-release Apple code it reviewed, reports the device carries the A18 chip, includes Center Stage support via its ultra-wide camera, and is flagged internally as a 2026 device with Apple Intelligence support, including an advanced conversational Siri.
Two hardware identifiers appear in the code: J490 and J491. According to MacDailyNews, citing Bloomberg, the J490 is a tabletop unit with the display mounted on a speaker base, resembling a screen-equipped HomePod mini, while the J491 is designed to be wall-mounted. Both versions are expected to include a FaceTime camera and software that adapts dynamically based on facial recognition when a user approaches.
The leaked code also references a string called ‘Pebble,’ believed to be the codename for homeOS, and an ‘audio_accessory_visual_reasoning’ string thought to relate to the HomePad, according to 9to5Mac. MacRumors separately reports the device will feature a Widget Gallery with iPhone widget support.
The operating system is another detail that has shifted. Bloomberg, as reported by Yahoo Finance, states Apple now plans to launch the display with a variation of tvOS 27, scheduled for September, having moved away from an earlier plan built on tvOS 26. The hub’s underlying software is based on the same technology that powers the Apple TV.
A security camera also appears in the leak under the codename J229. A separate Bloomberg report, cited by MacDailyNews, had previously referred to an indoor security camera under the codename J450, planned for release at a later date. Whether J229 and J450 refer to the same product at different stages or two distinct camera projects is not clear from available sources.
9to5Mac additionally found identifiers labelled ‘HomeAccessory17,2’ and ‘HomeAccessory17,3’ for devices not yet named, and notes that a video doorbell and a tabletop robotic home hub are among further Apple home products in development, though it is not confirmed which, if any, of those correspond to codenames in the current leak.
Why the Launch Was Delayed, and What to Expect Next
The J490 has been a long time coming. Bloomberg, as reported by Investing.com, reported in March 2026 that the hardware had been completed for several months by that point, but Apple held the launch back because the software, specifically the new AI-powered Siri, was not ready. The display is priced at around $350, according to current expectations, and could arrive this October or in early 2027.
That price point will define how well it competes. Google’s Nest Hub sells for $100, while Amazon’s Echo Show 8 and Echo Hub are each priced at $180. Apple has historically accepted a premium positioning, but the gap here is wide enough to limit the addressable market considerably, particularly for users who are not already invested in the Apple ecosystem.
Apple’s case rests on integration. iPhone users account for the majority of smartphone market share in the US, and a home hub that connects natively with existing Apple hardware, handles FaceTime calls, and runs Apple Intelligence features offers a coherent pitch to that base. Apple’s privacy-first branding also differentiates the product from Amazon and Google displays.
On the iPhone side, TheApplePost reports that codename V62 is believed to be the iPhone Air 2, V63 the iPhone 18 Pro, and V64 the iPhone 18 Pro Max, providing model-level assignments to the identifiers in the leak. Camera-equipped AirPods also appear under codename B790, which MacRumors identifies as a project separate from a different camera AirPods model (codename B798) rumoured for 2027; code found in the build reads ‘B790 start image stream failed for left bud,’ suggesting the B790 could arrive as soon as September.
Apple’s September event is expected within the next four weeks. The question is whether the smart home display arrives alongside the iPhone 18 or slips again, with Siri’s readiness likely the deciding factor.