Apple to unveil smart home products with AI-upgraded Siri on Tuesday Apple is expected to announce a new iPad-like wall or tabletop device showcasing its AI-upgraded Siri, along with possible HomePod and Apple TV upgrades, as it seeks to compete with Amazon, Google and OpenAI. Apple on Tuesday is expected to show off a new round of smart home products, including an iPad-like device meant to hang on walls or perch on tabletops that will showcase its AI-upgraded Siri virtual assistant. The devices will help users control doorbells, thermostats and smart locks in a market where Apple has tinkered for a decade without major success. The expected products could also include upgrades to its HomePod smart speaker and Apple TV devices, analysts said.Apple Faces Competition From Rivals And AI UpstartsApple is launching these products as it tries to fend off challenges from rivals, including traditional competitors like Amazon.com, which has invested heavily in its Echo speakers and Ring doorbells and last week launched premium tablets, as well as newer AI upstarts like OpenAI that have hardware ambitions of their own. Investors are looking more closely at Apple's hardware sales for growth as the company's services revenue has come under regulatory pressure.Apple first released its Home app to control smart gadgets in 2016, with HomePod smart speakers following in 2018, but those offerings are competing with Alphabet's Google Home speakers and Amazon's Echo line. Analysts said two major hurdles for Apple were making its devices work with a variety of third-party gadgets and the limited ability of Siri to give useful answers.Apple this summer upgraded Siri's capabilities with assistance from Google, but the process of wiring a smart home is still too difficult for many Apple consumers to see a benefit, said Bob O'Donnell, chief analyst at TECHnalysis Research. Advancements in AI should finally help, but the key questions for Apple are, do they have connectivity smarts to simplify the process and are they going to be willing to work across the smart home ecosystem and not just within their own walled garden, O'Donnell said.Apple holds its event at the Steve Jobs Theater on its campus in Cupertino, California. New Apple CEO John Ternus is expected to speak at the event. The date of the event is September 9, 2026, according to a photo caption. Separately, a man walks past an Apple advertisement billboard promoting its latest iPhone Duo in Shanghai, China, on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, according to the Associated Press.Services Revenue Pressure Boosts Importance Of HardwareThe smart home push comes as Apple faces competition from Amazon, Google and OpenAI. Amazon last week launched premium tablets, adding pressure on Apple's hardware lineup. Apple's services revenue has come under regulatory pressure, making hardware sales more important for growth. Investors are watching the company's hardware performance closely.The new iPad-like device is designed to be mounted on a wall or placed on a tabletop. It will control doorbells, thermostats and smart locks. The device will showcase the AI-upgraded Siri virtual assistant. The HomePod smart speaker and Apple TV may also receive upgrades.Analysts said these upgrades could help Apple compete better in the smart home market. Apple released its Home app in 2016. The HomePod smart speaker followed in 2018. Both compete with Google Home speakers and Amazon Echo devices.Making devices work with third-party gadgets remains a hurdle. Siri's limited ability to give useful answers is another hurdle. Apple upgraded Siri this summer with assistance from Google. Wiring a smart home is still too difficult for many Apple consumers to see a benefit, according to Bob O'Donnell of TECHnalysis Research.Analysts Question Apple Connectivity Smarts And EcosystemHe said AI advancements should help, but Apple must simplify connectivity and work across the smart home ecosystem. O'Donnell said the key questions are whether Apple has the connectivity smarts to simplify the process and whether it will work across the smart home ecosystem and not just within its own walled garden. The event is at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California. New Apple CEO John Ternus is expected to speak.The event is scheduled for September 9, 2026, according to a Reuters photo caption. In Shanghai, a billboard promotes the latest iPhone Duo. The billboard was photographed on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, by Andy Wong of the Associated Press. Apple's move into smart home products is a decade-long effort.The company has not achieved major success in this market so far. The new products are an attempt to change that. Amazon has invested heavily in Echo speakers and Ring doorbells. Google offers Google Home speakers.OpenAI has hardware ambitions. All are competitors Apple must face. The new iPad-like device will hang on walls or sit on tabletops. It will control doorbells, thermostats and smart locks.New iPad Like Device Will Showcase AI Upgraded SiriIt will showcase AI-upgraded Siri. HomePod and Apple TV upgrades are also possible. Analysts said these could be part of the announcement. The event is expected on Tuesday.Apple's services revenue faces regulatory pressure. Hardware sales are therefore more important for growth. Investors are paying closer attention to hardware. Apple first released its Home app in 2016.HomePod smart speakers followed in 2018. These compete with Google Home and Amazon Echo. Two hurdles for Apple are third-party compatibility and Siri's limited usefulness. Apple upgraded Siri this summer with Google's help.But smart home wiring remains too difficult for many consumers. Bob O'Donnell of TECHnalysis Research said AI advancements should finally help. But he said the key questions are whether Apple has connectivity smarts to simplify the process and whether it will work across the smart home ecosystem and not just within its own walled garden. The event takes place at the Steve Jobs Theater on Apple's Cupertino campus.New Apple CEO John Ternus is expected to speak. A Reuters photo caption dates the event to September 9, 2026. An Apple billboard in Shanghai promotes the latest iPhone Duo. The photo was taken Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, by Andy Wong of the Associated Press.Apple's smart home push is a response to rivals. Amazon launched premium tablets last week. OpenAI has hardware ambitions. Google offers Google Home speakers.Apple's services revenue is under regulatory pressure. Hardware sales are a key growth area. Investors are watching closely. The new device is iPad-like and can hang on walls or perch on tabletops.It controls doorbells, thermostats and smart locks. It showcases AI-upgraded Siri. HomePod and Apple TV upgrades may also be announced. Analysts said these could be part of the event.The event is expected on Tuesday. Apple released its Home app in 2016. HomePod smart speakers followed in 2018. They compete with Google Home and Amazon Echo.Making devices work with third-party gadgets is a hurdle. Siri's limited ability to give useful answers is another. Apple upgraded Siri this summer with Google's assistance. Wiring a smart home is still too difficult for many Apple consumers to see a benefit, said Bob O'Donnell, chief analyst at TECHnalysis Research.He said AI advancements should finally help. O'Donnell said the key questions for Apple are whether they have connectivity smarts to simplify the process and whether they are willing to work across the smart home ecosystem and not just within their own walled garden. The event is at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California. New Apple CEO John Ternus is expected to speak.The event is dated September 9, 2026, in a Reuters photo caption.