Another delay! The new version of Siri is struggling to be released, dragging down Apple Inc.'s hardware. The launch of the smart home display has been postponed to September.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Apple Inc. is facing difficulties in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) that are affecting its product planning, forcing the company to postpone the release of a long-anticipated smart home display device to later this year. The product, with the codename J490, was originally planned for release in the spring of 2025, but the release has been postponed in order for Apple Inc. to complete the development of the new version of Siri digital assistant, which is a key component of the device interface. Sources indicate that Apple Inc. had planned to launch the display device this month, hoping that the new version of Siri would be ready. However, due to further delays with Siri, Apple Inc. is now once again postponing the release of the smart home device. This dilemma highlights Apple Inc.'s urgent need to catch up with competitors in the field of AI. Siri is at the core of its AI strategy many future products will rely on this technology. However, Apple Inc. has already postponed several long-promised features, with some features being showcased to consumers nearly two years ago. This has also led to a lack of coordination between the software and hardware plans of the tech giant. In fact, the smart display device itself has been developed for several months, but the company now plans to release it around September, when Apple Inc. expects the new version of Siri to finally be ready. Apple Inc.'s goal is to have all new Siri features ready by the time the iPhone 18 Pro is launched in September of this year. The updated Siri will be able to access users' personal data to better respond to queries. Apple Inc. is also redesigning the interface and underlying AI models to make Siri more like a modern chatbot. The user data feature is particularly crucial for the new home device, as it aims to provide a highly personalized user experience. It was originally hoped that all new Siri features would be ready in the 26.4 software update this year, but testing is currently underway for versions 26.5 and 27. The smart home display device is said to resemble a square iPad and can be mounted on a semi-circular speaker base or fixed to a wall, serving as the central AI control center for the home. Its user interface includes a set of circular app icons arranged similarly to the main screen of the Apple Watch. A major feature is a facial recognition system that identifies the user when they approach the device. With this information, the product can display personalized content such as the user's schedule, reminders, notes, music, and news preferences. The smart home display device features a 7-inch screen, a USB-C port for power, and the classic silver aluminum shell of Apple Inc. It will be the first of many home devices from Apple Inc. The company plans to release a 9-inch screen version with a mechanical arm next year, as well as developing a small home security sensor. Apple Inc. currently plans for the smart home display device to run a variant of tvOS 27, a new version of its TV set-top box operating system expected to be released in September. The new home operating system is based on the underlying technology used by Apple TV. Before the recent delays caused by Siri, Apple Inc. originally planned for the first batch of home devices to run a variant of tvOS 26, the current software version of Apple TV. Apple Inc. is also developing a range of other AI products, including a pendant device, AirPods with cameras, and smart glasses. These devices are expected to be released after the launch of the new Siri version, so they are unlikely to be affected by the current delays unless development encounters further issues. John Ternus, Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering at Apple Inc., plays a key role in the smart home project and sees it as an important direction for the company's future growth. Apple Inc. is also developing a new HomePod without a display and an updated version of the Apple TV set-top box, both of which will be related to new AI features. Apple TV hardware has not been updated since 2022, although its software received a new Liquid Glass interface last year. Apple Inc.'s foray into smart home technology comes several years after companies like Amazon.com, Inc. and Alphabet Inc. Class C have introduced similar products. However, Apple Inc. is expected to leverage its existing product ecosystem. The company announced in January of this year that its user base had exceeded 2.5 billion. In recent days, Apple Inc. has also released a range of new products, including the iPhone 17e, the budget MacBook Neo, iPad Air, external monitors, and updated versions of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. However, the company has not discussed any new developments in Siri, AI, or smart home areas topics that were originally planned to be showcased by Apple Inc. earlier this month.