Apple’s rumored smart home hub may borrow one of the most recognizable elements of the iPhone Duo: a StandBy-style interface built around photos, clocks, and other idle display options. Leaked setup screens show a “Photo Face” that would let users choose which images appear on the hub’s screen when it is not being actively used.

The screens were shared by leaker pdfu and appear to show the setup process for Apple’s upcoming home product. The feature is reportedly designed to display images from selected photo collections, Memories, or shared albums. Because the photos come from iCloud, users would need to have iCloud Photos enabled for the feature to work.

How the Home Hub Photo Face could work

According to the leaked setup flow, the Photo Face would be offered during device activation. Users could select a preferred collection, and the hub would then show those images on its display. The setup appears intended to make personal photos a central part of the device’s idle experience rather than a secondary feature.

Pdfu claims the hub’s Photo Face is the same feature planned for the iPhone Duo. That connection may help explain why Apple has not yet made the iPhone Duo’s StandBy mode available in the Xcode simulator, although the relationship between the two products remains unconfirmed.

The leaked screens provide the first reported visual look at one of the home hub’s display faces. Multiple idle display options are expected, similar to the choices available when an iPhone is placed in StandBy mode.

What Apple’s home hub is expected to offer

Earlier reports describe the product as having a roughly 6-inch display and a design resembling an iPad, but with a square form and a built-in base. The base is rumored to use a half-dome metal design reminiscent of the iMac G4, with an arm connecting it to the screen.

The device is not expected to include a full App Store. Instead, it may support a selection of apps and widgets, including Calendar, Weather, Music, Messages, and Reminders. The hub is also rumored to recognize when someone is approaching and distinguish between people in the household.

That user recognition could allow the display to show different widgets or information depending on who is nearby. A photo slideshow or clock face would give the hub a useful default state between interactions, while keeping personal content visible in a shared space.

Possible release timing

Bloomberg has reportedly described the interface as being heavily focused on clock displays and photo slideshows, suggesting the Photo Face could be a major part of Apple’s software strategy for the product.

Apple has not announced the home hub or confirmed its design, features, or release date. The device is rumored to debut on October 13, but that timing remains unverified until Apple provides official details.