iOS beta code includes new references to Apple’s upcoming smart display home product

Apple was most recently rumored to be readying an unveiling of its upcoming smart display product in the spring, but the device’s dependence on the troubled Siri features seemingly put the launch on hold.

Nevertheless, it seems work on the project continues as we have found new assets meant for the device, hidden inside the just-released iOS 18.6 beta. The asset may even reveal the screen resolution of the device …

The newly introduced file in the code is found at the path /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/ProgressUI.framework/apple-logo-1088@2x~home.png.

The ‘~home’ suffix indicates this asset is intended to be loaded only on (the still internal) homeOS platform. Moreover, the filename gives us an additional hint about the device’s specs.

In that directory, Apple includes many variants of the Apple logo asset, tuned to each screen size of iOS device the system supports. There’s one named apple-logo-2532 for instance, which refers to the image displayed on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14, which have displays featuring a screen resolution of 2532×1170.

As you can see, this new asset has the number 1088 included in the filename, at a 2x scale. This suggests the home device will have a screen resolution of 2176 pixels wide.

This is in the same ballpark as the iPad mini’s display, which sports a screen resolution of 2266×1488. The iPad mini has a screen size of 8.3-inches. (9to5Mac previously reported that Apple was testing homeOS/tvOS on an iPad mini internally.)

Therefore, assuming Apple sticks to a similar Retina pixel density as the iPad mini, you would be able to infer that the smart display will also feature a screen size around 8-inches. But this is not guaranteed to be the case.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman previously reported that the Apple smart display home hub will have a 7-inch screen. Assuming that is accurate, and corroborating with the leaked 2176px size, we can infer the Apple smart home display will feature lesser pixel density than the iPad mini.

This all adds up. As you are likely going to be using the smart display at a much further distance away from your eyes than an iPad, Apple can probably can get away with a slightly lower pixel-per-inch screen. Lower density screens also generally cost less money to manufacture, which will help Apple’s margins on this device (which we assume will also cost less than the iPad mini’s $499 starting price).

Unfortunately, the addition of new assets does not help us get any more clarity on when we can expect this exciting new Apple product to ship. At best, it indicates Apple is continuing to work on the device behind-the-scenes, perhaps while it waits for the Siri features it relies on to be completed.