Apple Smart Home Hub Rumor Roundup: 7-Inch Display, Facial Recognition, & Widgets!

Andrew covers a fast-moving smart home news roundup before diving into the latest Apple smart home rumors, including signs of a new Smart Home Hub, a possible Home OS, and related accessories.
Key topics
• Homey adds solar forecasting and export pricing
• Comcast’s Wi-Fi Motion feature
• Eufy’s new NVR security camera system
• Shelly’s battery-powered flood sensor
• TCL’s Matter-enabled smart lock
• Malware found in cheap Android TV boxes
• Sonos hardware leaks and Live Activities support
• Apple’s rumored Smart Home Hub and Home OS
• Possible pricing, sensors, and wall-mounted/tabletop versions
Highlights
• Apple’s smart home roadmap is starting to look more real
• Widgets and live activities may be central to the user experience
• The episode also covers the smartest new devices and biggest risks in the broader smart home market
Send me your smart home questions and recommendations with the hashtag #SmartHomeInsider. Tweet and follow your host at:
• @andrew_osu on Twitter (twitter.com/andrew_osu)
• @andrewohara941 on Threads (threads.net/@andrewohara941)
• Email me here
Sponsored by:
• Quo (quo.com/HOMEKIT): Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to quo.com/HOMEKIT!
• Hims (hims.com/homeinsider): Visit hims.com/homeinsider to get a personalized plan that gets you!
Smart Home Insider YouTube Channel
• Subscribe to the Smart Home Insider YouTube Channel (youtube.com/channel/UCwND80K7_YZ9BHfzpqL1Qog) and watch our episodes every week! Click here to subscribe. (youtube.com/channel/UCwND80K7_YZ9BHfzpqL1Qog)
Links from the show
• Homey solar energy updates (homey.app/en-us/news/homey-energy-solar-foreca…)
• Sonos soundbar leaks (bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-17/sonos-p…)
• Sonos Live Activities (reddit.com/r/sonos/comments/1vqt0do/theyre_her…)
• Android streaming box botnet Reddit post (reddit.com/r/pihole/comments/1v8fcg0/caught_a_…)
• FBI streaming box PSA (fbi.gov/investigate/cyber/alerts/2025/home-int…)
• Comcast motion tracking (apple.news/ACGOj4K6bQoG9Ghpooy1M7A)
• TCL D2 Pro smart lock (tclhomesecurity.com/pages/tcl-d2-pro-matter-pa…)
• Shelly Flood Gen 4 (amazon.com/dp/B0FPG9SGLJ?tag=apinsiderpod-20)
• macOS Tahoe leak (appleinsider.com/articles/26/08/18/macos-tahoe…)
Those interested in sponsoring the show can reach out to us at: andrew@appleinsider.com