Apple Inc. plans to officially advance its repeatedly delayed smart home business on October 13, a critical product line expansion under new CEO John Ternus. According to people familiar with the matter, the core of this strategy is a smart home hub device codenamed J490. Apple also plans to release the first update to the HomePod mini since its debut in 2020, as well as its first new TV streaming box since 2022. For Ternus, who took over the company on September 1, this is a major early test. Apple views the smart home as a lucrative opportunity and the "next big thing" the company has been searching for. However, the tech giant has previously struggled to make significant breakthroughs in this area, falling behind Amazon and Alphabet Inc.'s Google. These products will also serve as key vehicles for Apple to showcase its new version of the Siri AI assistant, a technology the company has developed over many years. The revamped Siri has experienced multiple delays, and these smart home devices are expected to help Apple highlight its efforts to finally catch up in the field of artificial intelligence. According to people familiar with the matter, the home hub device will feature an approximately 6-inch square display and will be available in different versions for wall mounting and countertop placement. The people requested anonymity because the products have not yet been released. The people said that meanwhile, the new HomePod mini and Apple TV will retain their existing designs but will be equipped with faster processors to support more powerful AI models for Siri. The new HomePod mini will also come in new colors including green and pink. Apple ultimately also plans to update the larger HomePod speaker. These new devices and their connection to Siri AI have been previously reported. A major feature of this home hub device is its ability to be used by multiple family members. It can recognize who is speaking to or approaching the device and display personalized content and provide corresponding answers based on that user's data and account. For example, when one user approaches, the device will display that person's contacts, messages, calendar schedule, notes, and preferred app layout. When another recognized family member approaches, the interface can automatically switch. The device will also offer a guest mode to hide personal information. The device can identify users through voice or facial recognition systems, though the latter is less reliable than Face ID on the iPhone. If users do not want to rely entirely on voice or facial recognition, they can request secondary authentication through an iPhone. If the home hub cannot correctly identify someone, identity confirmation can also be done through an iPhone. In a dimly lit room, a white ring light around the screen will illuminate the surrounding area to help the camera identify the user. Apple envisions consumers placing multiple such display devices in different locations throughout the home. They can be used to control thermostats, door locks, and other connected devices, as well as for video calls, walkie-talkie-like communication, playing music, and viewing photo slideshows stored in Apple's iCloud service. Apple also positions this device as a communication and information hub in the kitchen. Users can look up recipes, watch videos, or make FaceTime calls via voice while preparing food. Since the device is designed to be stationary, it only has a front-facing FaceTime camera and no rear camera. The base connected to the display has built-in microphones and speakers.