While everyone is talk about the newApp Store rulesthat allow sideloading and third - political party payments , Apple may be cover something far more interesting in the latest round of drinks of beta computer software . A snipping of code in tvOS 17.4 beta 1 hint that Apple is continuing to make for on a new operating system called homeOS .

software package code spelunker Aaron Perris atMacRumorsreported the uncovering of a point of reference to homeOS in the new beta O for Apple television . The writer does n’t put up further detail of the context in which that branding is remark , but speculates that it could refer to one of the saucy - abode production Apple is rumored to be work on .

The two principal hearsay in this field concern an iPad - like gadget that will assist as acentral hubfor a smart dwelling house and aHomePod with a cover . One or both of these gimmick could benefit from a bespoke software operating organization catering to their specific needs .

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As thing stand , one would bear they would run either tvOS or HomePod‌ Software , which is in turn based on tvOS . ( When it first launched , the HomePod ran a modified translation of Io instead , but Apple swop it over a couple of years later . ) But it would likely make more sense to produce a consecrate platform , belike still closely related to tvOS , with smart - home devices in mind .

Speculation about a new smart - home OS began back in 2021 whentwo Apple job advertsmentioned homeOS among new employee ’ duty . It was strongly connote that this was something new rather than a rebranding of tvOS – one possible theory at the prison term – since tvOS and homeOS were remark on an individual basis in the ad . The fact that Apple promptly withdraw the references from its land site also suggest that something important was being alluded to .

In term of timing , the public release of tvOS 17.4 is anticipate sometime around March , which as MacRumors follow would be a convenient time for the announcement of Modern hardware . That , after all , is when Apple likes to defy aspring event .