Apple’s long-rumored smart home hub is expected to launch in four finishes — Silver, Space Gray, Starlight, and Rose Pink — according to details shared by X user pdfu and covered by MacRumors’ Joe Rossignol.
X user pdfu reported on Thursday that Apple’s upcoming Home device may come in those four finishes. The leaker noted that the device’s Photo Face setup screen selects its preview art based on the hardware color the unit reports, and that the housing itself may appear in setup screens once device assets are available. Pdfu added that the same finishes had previously shown up in J490 setup code in the macOS 26.7 Release Candidate, which MacRumors had earlier described as “mystery colors.”
Rossignol wrote that the hub is planned for unveiling on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, as part of a broader set of smart home products that also includes a new HomePod mini and an Apple TV with faster chips aimed at Siri AI. Rossignol described the device as having a roughly 6-inch square display, offered in both tabletop and wall-mounted versions. The tabletop model is said to use a polished metal arm attached to a round metal base with perforated speaker holes, a layout compared to the 2002 iMac G4. A single FaceTime camera sits on the front, with microphones and speakers in the base.
Rossignol also noted that users can create a “Photo Face” on the hub, with Apple’s preview art corresponding to the device’s color — consistent with the setup behavior pdfu described. The same Photo Face feature is expected to reach StandBy on iPhone Duo and requires iCloud Photos; during setup, an iPhone can send a few full-resolution photos so the face can appear immediately while the rest download from iCloud.
MacDailyNews Take: Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman, cited by Rossignol, has described the hub’s iMac G4-style design and referred only to a standard gray aluminum finish, without mentioning Silver, Starlight, or Rose Pink. Rossignol pointed out that MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris had already found the same four colors in macOS 26.7 Release Candidate code in August, matching what pdfu later highlighted. The hub is expected to act as a central interface for HomeKit accessories, though Apple has not officially confirmed the colors, the October 13th timing, or final design details.
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