Home Hub Code Hints at Face-Based Profile Switching

Would be nice to get some user profiles for iPads too, or a situation where guests could use a basic profile for plain browsing without being able to see private stuff from the owner for example

Hoping some of this can be overridden. For me, much of the point of this would be to let guests and kids control lights and other HomeKit devices in an easy and intuitive manner without layers of BS like having to use an iPhone or having to register biometrics. Now calendars and reminders... sure, that can and should be user-specific, and I have a hunch that’s what this is all about.

As someone that made my own home hub by sticking an old iPad to a wall and not allowing other apps, I'm excited to replace that thing in a few weeks.

Cannot wait to see the new device. Sounds interesting and think it should work well. Pricing could be the key to its success.

Apple's upcoming home hub will support multiple profiles and will include "ambient sensing" for identity verification, according to code we found in the macOS Tahoe 26.7 update.



The accessory will show Personal Content for different users in the home, with options to select a profile via Control Center or the Settings app on the device. The home hub is expected to have an operating system similar to tvOS, so the Control Center and profile selection options might look like those on the Apple TV.

It sounds like the home hub can switch between profiles automatically using some combination of cameras and sensors, based on the mentions of ambient sensing. The device is rumored to include cameras and a presence-sensing feature to determine when someone is in the room, so it will be able to tell who is near it and switch profiles appropriately.

Here are some of the code strings.

* Sorry, I'm not sure who you are. To access your Personal Content, you'll need to select yourself in Control Center.

* Before I can help with that, you'll need to enable Personal Content. In the Settings app, tap on your name, and turn on Personal Content.

* I'm not sure who's speaking. Please come in front of this device and ask again.

* Sorry, since this device hasn't seen you in a while, you'll need to ask again in front of the camera.

* To access your Personal Content, you'll need to select yourself in Control Center and temporarily allow ambient sensing to verify your identity.

There are also mentions of a wall-mounted version of the home hub, confirming that there will be two models. The other version will include a speaker base.

Rumors suggest the home hub will have a square, 7-inch display. It will run apps and have a main home screen with quick-access widgets ('https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/18/apple-home-hub-widget-gallery/'). We could see the home hub announced as soon as September.

Article Link: Home Hub Code Hints at Face-Based Profile Switching ('https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/24/home-hub-ambient-sending/')

This might be an unpopular opinion but a homepad device is the solution to a problem that doesn’t really exist.

Yes current HomePods suck with Siri but the next gen’s will most likely get Siri AI.

So conversational Siri will be great and work better at carrying out ecosystem tasks.

But an iPad device on a stand with a speaker?

Sounds like they’re building a limited iPad on top of a limited HomePod speaker (in terms of being a full speaker system).

Maybe I’m wrong but like the Vision Pro, its success will be down to its price.

And let’s be honest $350 (minimum) for HomePod 3 and that thing won’t have a screen.

This homepad will cost minimum $700 and who is wanting to buy that when you could stereo pair Siri AI.

Extra expense for a single speaker with a screen. Something our phones and 5 year old iPads have already?

Unless it can pack the speaker performance of two full sized HomePods into one device it might end up being a niche device being crammed into a smart speaker / assistant market that already peaked with the Alexa’s?

Would be nice to get some user profiles for iPads too, or a situation where guests could use a basic profile for plain browsing without being able to see private stuff from the owner for example

Agree. iPads are more of a collective device than strictly personal like a phone or watch. They need to have profiles like a Mac.