Apple has shared on its website that it’s releasing the iPhone Duo foldable phone and that preorders begin on Oct. 16. That followed the introduction of iPhone 18, which has already gone on sale.
The company, however, appears to have another new product launch planned.
Apple retail stores received boxes earlier this week featuring “Do Not Open Until October 8” stickers on them, reported MacRumors.
“They are believed to contain new visual merchandise, which enables workers to update labels, graphics, and product layouts in stores around the release of new products. MacRumors received a tip-off about the boxes earlier this week, which it has now independently verified,” the website shared.
The deliveries follow a Bloomberg report that Apple plans to launch a smart home hub as part of a broad move into taking control of its customers’ homes.
Once Apple stores can open the boxes on Oct. 8, they need time to set up and display whatever materials or products are inside, so it’s unlikely a true reveal will happen that day.
Bloomberg has reported a possible Oct. 13 release.
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Apple has talked about a “hub”
Apple CEO John Ternus laid out his vision for an artificial intelligence-driven smart home during a Sept. 9 event.
“AI makes entirely new kinds of experiences possible. And AI can become even more useful when it brings together your life with the apps, services and products you use every day. And this means the product at the center of your experiences becomes even more essential, what I like to think of as an intelligent personal hub. It’s the intersection of broad new capability and a deep understanding of your personal context that makes this idea so powerful,” he said.
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At the event, he hinted that the hub was a device many people already own, the iPhone.
“As your personal hub, your iPhone can do so much more for you because it understands your context. This includes your calendar, your relationships, your routines, the most private details of your daily life. Now others see that data as something to collect and store. They move it to their servers and ask you to trust them. But honestly, trust only goes so far when your data is no longer yours to control,” he added.
It turns out, however, that the iPhone may not be the only hub Apple is working on.
Apple wants a bigger role in your home
The Bloomberg report called Apple’s moved a “long-delayed push into the smart-home market.”
MacWorld shared more details on the rumored product.
- It will have a square aspect ratio with rounded corners and a 6-inch (diagonal) display.
- It won’t have a battery, relying instead on USB-C for power.
- It will have a metal, round base with perforated holes for the speakers and microphones.
- It will attach to the countertop base via a polished metal arm, “reminiscent” of the classic iMac G4. It will have a single front-facing FaceTime camera.
Ternus hinted at new products during Apple’s second-quarter earnings call.
“We have an incredible road map ahead. And while you’re not going to get me to talk about the details of that road map, suffice it to say, this is the most exciting time in my 25-year career at Apple to be building products and services,” he said.
As a longtime Apple iPhone and Mac user, I’m both excited and skeptical. Apple’s recent efforts like Apple TV and HomePod, were essentially pricier versions of products offered by rivals.
I’m an Apple loyalist, but I use Amazon devices for my television and smart-home needs right now. For Apple to take that business, its new device will need to bring functionality and integration with my Mac, iPhone, and Apple Watch that actually makes my life easier.
RTM Nexus CEO sees this as smart marketing by the company.
“Apple can get people talking about a cardboard box. That’s a pretty good marketing advantage. But there’s a practical reason for keeping it closed: you need the materials in the store before launch, without a display giving away the announce,” he told TheStreet.
We don’t know what’s in the box, and that’s the beauty, he shared.
“Now what this is are all rumors and conjecture but the story here is how crazy the buzz can get on rumors with Apple,” Miserandino said.
