New details about Apple’s coming home hub show the company plans to lean heavily on the iPhone to bring apps and information to the device.
Code in macOS Tahoe 26.7 indicates that the hub will have a Widget Gallery that can display widgets already installed on a user’s iPhone, including those from third-party developers.
That would give the product access to an existing library of widgets without Apple having to build a separate App Store for the new platform.
The references were found in a file called PosterKit-J490. J490 is the codename for the home hub, while PosterKit is the Apple framework behind Lock Screen customization on the iPhone and iPad.
The setup is similar to a feature already available on the Mac, which can display widgets from an iPhone even when the corresponding apps aren’t installed on the computer. On the home hub, those widgets will be able to show information pulled from the paired iPhone.
Apple is also taking into account that the product will typically sit in a shared part of the home: Personal information inside a widget will only be displayed when the owner’s iPhone is present. If that person leaves, other household members can still see the widget but not its contents.
Apple isn’t planning an App Store for the device, though some of its own software will run natively. The lineup includes Safari, News, Music, Notes, Calendar, Photos and Home, and widgets can open into fuller versions of those apps.
The interface borrows other elements from existing Apple products. A Smart Stack will cycle through widgets based on time and context, much as it does on the iPhone and Apple Watch. The software also includes a Face Gallery for choosing different clock designs.
The device will double as a controller for Apple’s smart-home ecosystem, with support for HomeKit scenes and automations.
Apple has been developing the product for more than two years. It’s expected to feature a roughly 7-inch square display, with versions designed for wall mounting or tabletop use.
Siri AI, Apple’s revamped voice assistant, is expected to play a major role in how people use it. The device could launch sometime between October and early next year, if everything goes according to plan.
The J490 material surfaced as part of a broader collection of unreleased hardware references in macOS Tahoe 26.7, including future iPhones, Macs, iPads, and camera-equipped AirPods.
