Apple Stores may be preparing for new home products this fall

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Apple is reportedly changing parts of its retail stores this fall to make room for new home products. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple’s retail layout teams are reworking the “Avenues” in newer stores, the perimeter displays used for products such as HomePod, Apple TV, AirPods, Beats, and third-party accessories.

The reported work includes rearranging sections of the Avenues and adding new accessory bays. Apple has not confirmed the changes or announced the products that may use the new space.

New Apple TV and HomePod mini are reportedly close

The immediate candidates are a refreshed Apple TV and a new HomePod mini. Gurman previously reported that both products were nearly ready for a fall launch, with faster processors intended to support Siri AI and no major exterior redesign expected.

That would give Apple two overdue updates for its TV and speaker lineup. The rumored HomePod mini 2 is expected to focus on a newer chip, better audio, and tighter smart-home integration, but Apple has not confirmed those details.

The store work may point to a larger device

Gurman says the scale of the changes suggests Apple may be preparing space for more than two refreshed products. The likely candidate is the long-rumored Apple home hub with a screen, which has been held back in earlier reports by delays to the next version of Siri.

The reported device could arrive between October 2026 and early 2027. It is expected to have a roughly 7-inch square display, a tabletop or wall-mounted design, and software based on tvOS with Siri AI. Those details remain unconfirmed, and “HomePad” is only a name used in rumor coverage.

Apple’s current HomePod, HomePod mini, and Apple TV can act as home hubs for remote Home control, automations, and Matter accessories. A screen-equipped device would extend that setup with something people could see and use around the house.

The store changes are a useful clue, but they are not a launch announcement. Apple has not confirmed the products, their prices, a release event, or whether every store will receive the reported updates. For now, the safest read is that Apple is preparing its retail footprint for a broader Home refresh.

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