macOS 26.7 Beta Hides Clues: What the Legendary Touchscreen HomePod Interface Might Look Like

What would it look like if your Apple Watch face could be blown up into the screen of a full home device? According to Engadget, writer Filipe Espósito found a batch of strings pointing to unreleased products in Apple's latest macOS 26.7 beta code. The most eye-catching find is a device codenamed "HomeAccessory," which is widely believed to be the long-rumored screen-equipped HomePod.

The current HomePod has a simple job: it's a speaker that responds to Siri, with at most a touch-sensitive panel on top for adjusting volume and skipping tracks—nothing you'd really call an "interface." But the leaked code shows this new device's home screen will feature "Faces" and "Face Gallery" modules, working similarly to how you'd choose watch faces on the Apple Watch, just scaled up to something closer to iPad size. These Faces can be paired with various widgets and even support Smart Stack, meaning the information shown would automatically rotate based on the time of day. The code also indicates the device is expected to run a variant of tvOS, with support for Siri AI and App Intents.

One detail worth noting is how privacy is handled: the code shows the device can detect whether the user's iPhone is nearby to decide whether to display personalized information on widgets. In other words, if you have guests over and your iPhone isn't within range, private information on the screen should automatically hide. Additionally, widgets from the iPhone can be displayed directly on this device, working similarly to how Handoff lets you place iPhone app widgets on a Mac.

As for the design, previous rumors have already suggested the device will have a squarish shape, though the actual design remains unclear for now. What the code does confirm is the mounting options: strings reference both "HomeAccessory" and "HomeAccessory_wall," suggesting the device will be available in both a tabletop version and a wall-mounted version.

The J595 Desktop Robot and the Next-Gen HomePod mini

Hidden within the same batch of code is a clue about another, much less-discussed product. Bloomberg has reported that Apple is internally developing a desktop robot codenamed J595, rumored to feature a mechanical arm that can rotate in any direction with a screen mounted on it—though the exact specs remain quite vague. In this macOS 26.7 beta, the codename "J595" appears within HomeKit-related frameworks, effectively confirming that the product is indeed in development. Given the current progress, this robot likely won't make its debut before 2027.

Another product flagged by the code is a next-generation HomePod mini, codenamed B525. Based on the clues available so far, this appears to be a limited update without major changes; MacRumors notes that the main thing to expect is probably a few new color options.

Espósito noted that the macOS 26.7 beta also surfaced related strings for new iPhone, AirPods, iPad, and Mac models, making this a rare large-scale leak. Apple has not yet made any official statement regarding any of these products, and there's no confirmed word yet on release timing or pricing.