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Users on Reddit reported slowdowns and error messages, including an 'Internal error encountered' prompt, when using the Google Home app on iOS and Android, while the web version continued working normally. Google's official Nest Community account confirmed it is actively rolling out a fix, though no timeline was given for when all users will receive it.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is developing a cylindrical home security camera that won't record video, instead using AI to analyze motion and perform facial recognition, sending users text-based alerts about who has entered a room. The device is reportedly a companion to an unannounced smart home display (internally called J490), part of a broader smart home push that also includes new HomePod mini and Apple TV models supporting Siri's AI features, alongside a home hub expected as soon as October.
Home Assistant founder Paulus Schoutsen announced the open-source smart home platform is rebranding Home Assistant Cloud as Home Assistant Link, saying the company doesn't want the word 'cloud' associated with its service. The change is largely cosmetic, with the same remote-access features plus backend speed and reliability improvements, still priced at $6.50 a month or $65 a year. Schoutsen told The Verge the rename also clears up confusion among users who mistakenly thought the platform itself ran in the cloud rather than locally on users' own hardware.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple's upcoming smart home camera, internally called J450, won't record video for playback. Instead it reportedly uses a low-frame-rate sensor, facial recognition and infrared sensing to detect activity and trigger automations, rather than streaming or storing footage like HomeKit Secure Video cameras.
According to a report, Apple is developing a smart home camera, internally codenamed J450, that pairs with its planned J490 smart home display. The device reportedly captures very low frame-rate imagery rather than full video, using AI to analyze activity in and around a home instead of recording footage.
Leaker pdfu posted setup-process images suggesting Apple's rumored smart home hub, nicknamed 'HomePad,' will be offered in Silver, Space Gray, Starlight, and Rose Pink. The images reportedly show a 'Photo Face' setup screen that selects preview art based on the device's color, hinting at a square form factor. The device is said to be launching October 13.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple will release a smart home hub, internally codenamed J490, on October 13. The device pairs a 6-inch LCD touchscreen with a speaker on an adjustable arm, using upgraded Siri to recognize household members by voice and face and show personalized calendars, messages, and app layouts; a wall-mounted variant, J491, is also planned.
Apple is said to be preparing to release its long-rumored smart home hub device around mid-October, alongside a refreshed HomePod Mini. The report suggests both products could debut close together in the same timeframe.
Weber, which acquired June Systems in January 2021 and stopped manufacturing the June Oven in 2022, has now disabled the smart oven's app and cloud connectivity. Owners lose remote control, software updates, and the AI-driven food recognition features that once distinguished the device, though the appliance still functions as a basic oven. Weber said it considered open-sourcing the technology but declined because June's IP is tied to its Weber Connect platform.
A veteran smart-home reviewer tested AI-generated text notifications from Apple Home, Amazon (Ring), and Google (Nest) security camera systems, comparing how fast each sent alerts and how accurate and useful the descriptions were. The review notes Apple charges up to three times more than its competitors for this AI notification feature.
Google Home users reported receiving repeated motion-detection notifications even while present in their own homes, according to a Reddit thread with multiple similar complaints. One affected user posted screenshots showing several alerts within minutes of each other, and later said the issue appeared to resolve itself, though it's unclear if others saw the same fix.
A tech guide outlines how homeowners can assemble their own smart security systems using motion sensors, door sensors, cameras and video doorbells that store footage locally instead of in the cloud. The approach avoids recurring subscription costs charged by brands like Abode and SimpliSafe, while still letting users customize and expand their setup over time.