Apple’s AI strategy doesn’t seem to go according to plan, as the Cupertino-based company was forced to delay Siri features that it promised at the WWDC. Unfortunately, the delay of the Siri upgrades made another victim, Apple’s long-rumored Smart Home Hub, which should have been announced in March.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman explains that Apple’s new piece of hardware, the first of its kind for the US company, is no longer slated for a March release because it heavily uses the delayed Siri capabilities.
On the bright side, Apple is now able to test the Smart Home Hub for a longer time and iron out all possible issues. The device that goes internally by the codename J490 is said to come with “an iPad-like screen and home-control features.”
Apple also is still working on a foray into a new product category: the smart home hub. As I’ve reported before, it’s developing a device code-named J490 with an iPad-like screen and home-control features. At one point, the company had hoped to announce this product in March. But because the device, to an extent, relies on the delayed Siri capabilities, it has been postponed as well.
– Mark Gurman, March 2025
Select Apple employees are now allowed to take the upcoming hardware product home for testing purposes, the report mentions. They are supposed to provide valuable feedback before the Smart Home Hub goes official later this year.
Apple Home Pod | Image credit: PhoneArena
The fact that Apple had to delay the Siri upgrade paints a not so pretty picture about the company’s AI development strategy. Apple pulled a “personal Siri” video for iPhone 16 over the weekend because the features were postponed, so this seems to have a been a very last-minute decision.
Sadly, things won’t improve in the not-so-distant future. According to Gurman, there’s little chance that Apple will announce anything exciting related to AI at the next WWDC event. Instead, Apple fans will get a clearer roadmap for bringing the current AI capabilities to more apps.
The latest Apple moves turn this coming WWDC into a major event for the company. Apple must show that it has the knowledge to develop a solid AI strategy, and the technology to back that up. The more reason to be excited for the upcoming WWDC, which is expected to take place at the beginning of June.
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Cosmin, a tech journalist with a career spanning over a decade, brings a wealth of experience to PhoneArena. His expertise lies in brands like Samsung and Nokia, and he has a keen interest in innovative technologies. After a brief stint in PR, Cosmin returned to tech journalism in 2016, committed to delivering clear and objective news. When he's not writing or appearing as a guest on TV and radio shows, Cosmin enjoys playing RPGs, watching Netflix, and nurturing his passion for history and travel.
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