Welcome Home 2026: Every new piece of hardware Apple announced during event
Apple is clicking its heels and reminding us that there's no place like home with October 13's Welcome Home event. Following a packed September that saw the announcement of the iPhone 18 and the release of the 18 Pro line (the standard model is being saved until 2027), we've also got the long-awaited folding iPhone Duo coming before the end of October.
Determined to prove that it's not just iPhones keeping Apple in business, the tech giant has used its latest event to refocus on home hardware.
There were plenty of rumors about the various revamps and new releases that were on the way, but now that we've been welcomed home, we know exactly what Apple has been cooking up in the kitchen.
What was revealed at Apple's Welcome Home event?
It's not just the $1,999 iPhone Duo that we need to start saving for, and with Christmas just around the corner, Apple was clever to release this smorgasbord of tech in time for Christmas. So, here's what you could expect Santa to come down the chimney with in 2026.
Advert
An Apple TV refresh
We'd heard plenty about a new Apple TV 4K being part of the event, and now we know it'll come with two important features. Alongside far-field microphones that let you talk to the souped-up Siri AI without using your hands, those frustrating searches around the house for your remote are a thing of the past thanks to Find My being built into it.
This fourth-gen Apple TV 4K will debut Siri AI, while a home theater feature lets you pair up to four second-gen HomePods or HomePod Mini 2s to give a surround sound boost.
There's also the same A19 chip that runs the iPhone 17, but all of this comes at a cost. The new Apple TV 4K is priced at $299, making it $100 more than the previous model (which is also being discontinued). Pre-orders open today (October 13) with a November 13 shipping date.
HomePod mini 2
The release of the HomePod mini 2 also isn't much of a surprise, but similarly, there's plenty going on under the hood. A new sound glow feature syncs lights with a song's album art for a bit of ambiance, while the HomePod mini 2 can also be your Mac's default speaker. The aforementioned Apple TV 4K pairing gives surround sound, and there's a new chip for Siri AI. A bigger price tag isn't the only drawback, as Siri AI features won't be available at launch.
Up $20 from the old model, the new HomePod 2 will set you back $149. At least there's a whole rainbow of colors, letting you pick between classic white or black, as well as pink, green, and a new shade of blue. October 13 pre-orders and October 30 shipping are now available.
The Apple Home Collection
Giving us a partnership for the ages, Apple has joined forces with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric for the Apple Home Collection.
This glossy set of home devices is supposed to be easy to set up, boasting a smart home starter pack that includes security cameras, a video doorbell, a door lock, and two thermostats.
Building on the Works with Apple Home and Matter accessories, the Home Collection aims to help you understand what's going on inside and outside of your abode. Product availability begins in December 2026, with select accessories coming in early 2027.
How much is the Apple HomeView?
The above are all well and good, but the main event is the long-awaited HomePad, which we now know is officially called HomeView. Looking like the retro iMac 64 from 2002, HomeView plants a seven-inch square screen on a speaker base as Apple's own answer to Amazon's Echo Show or Google's Nest Hub.
The fact that HomeView has a Liquid Retina touch display only fuels those rumors that a fully touch MacBook could soon be on the way. Whether placed on a table or mounted on a wall, Apple apparently foresees multiple HomeViews dotted around various rooms of the house.
Making the most of Siri AI, HomeView uses facial recognition to see who it's chatting to, changing its display to a customized interface depending on who it's talking to. You'll get your own notifications and calendar, while FaceTime calls, photos, and video streaming are all standard additions.
Using the same A18 chipset from the iPhone 16 family, there are four color options: silver, starlight, rose pink, and space gray.
The wall-mounted version is only available in space gray or silver, although it and the tabletop variant will cost the same. Coming in at a surprisingly reasonable $299, HomeView will be available in the USA, UK, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, and South Africa.
Pre-orders open today, with shipping aiming for November 13.
It's obviously the HomeView that's the star of the show here, and while the Apple Vision Pro struggled to hit the mainstream thanks to its jaw-dropping $3,500 price tag, it's refreshing that HomeView won't cost us anywhere near as much.