Apple Home Hub gets a widget gallery with iPhone widgets
Apple is working on a smart home hub powered by Siri AI, which is expected to launch later this year. The so-called Apple Home Hub will feature a widget gallery, allowing users to select the content displayed on the device’s home screen.
References to the widget gallery were found in macOS Tahoe 26.7, an update that revealed a long list of unreleased Apple products. The relevant strings were located in a file called PosterKit-J490, where J490 is the codename for the Apple Home Hub. PosterKit is Apple’s framework for customizing the lock screen, and the hub’s home screen could offer many of the same options for icons, widgets, and clock faces.
Apple already uses the widget gallery on iPhone, iPad, and MacBook to add widgets to the home and lock screens of these devices, and the Home Hub will have a similar mechanism.
Apple Home Hub suggests widgets installed on the iPhone
Based on the code, widgets installed on a connected iPhone are suggested in the Apple Home Hub, similar to how iPhone widgets are available on a Mac without an installed app. It appears that third-party widgets are supported in addition to Apple’s own apps. The iPhone app widgets displayed in the Home Hub reflect the information on the iPhone.
All users in the household can see the widgets installed on the smart home hub, but for privacy reasons, the content of the widgets is only visible when the primary connected device is in the household.
A Smart Stack automatically switches between different widgets to display relevant information throughout the day. Users can also switch between the various Smart Stack options. Apple already offers the Smart Stack on other devices, including the Apple Watch.
The Apple Home Hub is not expected to have its own app store, but will support Apple apps such as Safari, Apple News, Apple Music, Notes, Calendar, Photos, and Home. Tapping an installed widget on the home screen will launch a full app with more information. The code also points to a “Face Gallery,” suggesting that users will be able to choose different clock options for the device’s home screen. Furthermore, the hub can be integrated with other smart home devices in HomeKit scenes and automations.
Apple’s Hub is expected to feature a square 7-inch display and can be placed on a stand or mounted on the wall. The device already appeared in iOS 27 in June.
