Apple Comes for the Amazon Echo - DTNS 5364

Tom Merritt (0:08)

This is the Daily Tech News for Wednesday, September 30th, 2026 We tell you what you need to go, give you important context, and help each other understand.

Huyen Tue Dao (0:16)

Well, today, Apple's long delayed move into the smart home starts soon, thanks to Apple's long delayed release of the improved series.

Tom Merritt (0:25)

One delay leads to another.

I think I said we tell you what you need to go. You did say that, actually. Which is absolutely on purpose, because you need to go find out about Apple's long delayed move into smart home. I'm Tom Merritt.

Huyen Tue Dao (0:38)

I'm Huyen Tue Dao.

Tom Merritt (0:39)

Let's start with what you need to go in the big story.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says that Apple will announce its new smart home hub. If you've seen the reporting around this, this is the one codenamed J490, although there's apparently a J491.

That will happen Tuesday, October 13th. That's like three days before the iPhone Duo goes up for pre-order. Gurman's sources tell him it will be a six inch square display, so about iPhone size and also about as thick as an iPhone, with a quarter inch black bezel around it. So that's how you'll know it's not an iPhone. It will have to be plugged in. This won't be a battery powered device. You'll use USB-C for that and you'll have options. You can get it and mount it on a wall. It will come with a square shaped base that will house the speakers and microphones in that case. And you'll put that below the actual display. Or you can get one that goes on your countertop and that one has a round metal base that German says kind of looks like an iMac G4.

That will make it able to be put on like your kitchen countertop or something like that. Both versions will be able to recognize family members by voice and face. And then as you approach it, it will give you personalized answers and content. Like it can show you your calendar, your email, and it will have a visitor mode. So if you've got people over and you don't want them to see your email, you can go into visitor mode. Of course, it will be able to control smart home devices. It will come with apps like calendar messages, photos, FaceTime notes, reminders, music and podcasts. German says Apple is also going to announce an update to the HomePod mini. That will be the first update since 2020 We're talking faster processors, of course, maybe some new color options and a new Apple TV. We haven't had a new Apple TV in four years. Last one was in 2022 Apple also apparently developing a home security camera. That will not be coming out this time. That will be coming out later. And we're still hearing about a version of the Home Hub that has a nine inch display at the end of a robotic arm. We're not getting that one yet either, but we are getting what essentially is a replacement for the Amazon Echo.

Huyen Tue Dao (2:47)

It sounds super compelling. I definitely am a smart home hub person, but as an Android user, I've been struggling with the Google Home ecosystem for very many, many years and what assistant we're going to use. And I guess now it's Gemini. But now, so anyway, I definitely feel like I'm very tempted by this, especially the idea that if it looks like a G4, I guess because I think that I just like that aesthetic very much.

Tom Merritt (3:12)

With a little tiny screen. With a little tiny screen.

Huyen Tue Dao (3:15)

So I find this really compelling. But again, I've only ever been in the Google Home ecosystem. Is this very appealing to you, especially as someone who does have iPhone users in the house?

Tom Merritt (3:26)

Yeah, we have iPhones and Macs and iPads, but we are an Amazon Echo-based smart assistant layout. Although we do have some Google Homes around. We have no HomePods or anything like that. We have an Apple TV, but you can't talk to that yet.

And we use a mix of smart home devices. We've got Philips, we've got Samsung, we've got all that sort of thing. Matter has made that part not be as big of a deal, right? So that's nice. I like the Echos. I've had them since Gen 1

I think the oldest one finally gave out a year and a half ago, but all the rest of them still work. And in fact, my Echo show that's been in the kitchen for several years just last week upgraded to the new voice assistant. Without me, I thought it wasn't going to get it, and suddenly it starts talking to me in that more natural voice. I'm like, oh, I guess you are going to get it. So I look at this and I'm like, oh, this is interesting. This could replace the Amazon Echo, but do I want it to? Because the Echo is very open to, I can add Apple Music to it, I can add podcast app to it. And I want to know more about that openness. I know there are built in apps here, what other apps will I be able to use on it?