Apple’s long-rumored smart home hub is shaping up to be more than just a smart speaker with a screen. It could double up as a really nice digital photo frame.
Code buried in an iOS beta details a “Photo Face” step during the setup process. It’s a display that shows your photos whenever the hub isn’t busy answering your queries or running your smart home. So instead of a dark, bland screen on your counter, you could see your own memories.
Apple smart home hub: Your photos, your way
Apple is reportedly preparing its first dedicated smart home hub, a device designed to put Siri and smart home controls at the center of the house. Rumors describe a roughly 6-inch-square touchscreen that can display widgets, clock faces, weather and calendar information while controlling HomeKit devices and playing music and video.
And, apparently, acting as a picture frame with Photo Face.
Not surprisingly, the feature reportedly requires iCloud Photos. During the Photo Face setup process, users can program the hub to shuffle through their library, play Memories slideshows or pull pictures from shared albums. They can also pick photos by hand, choose specific collections or even let the device surface featured pictures.
For now, the setup screen only shows a tall, narrow modal, not revealing much about the hardware. But the previewed pictures are square, which lines up with previous rumors hinting at a square display.
Same face, different screen
According to leaker pdfu, who found the code in the latest beta, the same Photo Face feature is also coming to StandBy on iPhone Duo.
The leak suggests Apple could be holding back some iPhone Duo features until its smart home hub is official. Earlier this week, pdfu also found some code hinting at more StandBy faces and layouts Apple hasn’t shown yet.
Setting up Apple’s upcoming Home device includes a new step: creating a Photo Face.
It’s the same Photo Face coming to StandBy on iPhone Duo. That might explain why Apple hasn’t officially made StandBy available in the simulator.
Photo Face requires iCloud Photos. During setup,… pic.twitter.com/Zh3cvAcjPx
— pdfu (@itspdfu) September 30, 2026
What else we know
Apple’s smart home hub has a roughly 6-inch square display and runs a new operating system, according to a leak by Bloomberg on Wednesday. It can also reportedly tell who’s looking at it — and adjust what it shows accordingly.
Bloomberg previously pegged the price at around $350.
Photo Face would give the Home Hub a reason to be on and useful all day. Apple reportedly began working on the device in 2024, but delayed its release numerous times while waiting for the new Siri AI to be ready.
Apple smart home hub: Almost showtime
Apple is expected to reveal the home hub on October 13, alongside a new HomePod mini and Apple TV. That’s less than two weeks away, so we’ll soon find out if the leaks tell the whole story.
Anurag Chawake is a tech-focused writer specializing in smartphones, apps and consumer technology. His interest in computers began during the Windows 98 era, eventually leading him to explore everything from operating systems to mobile devices and PC hardware. Anurag previously contributed to The Indian Express, covering Apple, Android, gaming and the broader technology landscape.
