Apple may be connected to a “HomeView” trademark filed in the United States and other countries last year, potentially offering a clue about the name of its rumored smart home hub. The filing was made by a company called Home Services LLC, which may be a shell company linked to Apple.

The filing reportedly happened around the same time that Home Operations Suite LLC applied to register “homeOS.” Apple is rumored to be preparing a new smart home device for a “Welcome home” launch on Tuesday, October 13, but the company has not confirmed the product’s name or software branding.

What the HomeView and homeOS filings suggest

The two applications have prompted speculation that Apple could name its upcoming device HomeView and give it a new operating system called homeOS. The rumored product is expected to combine elements of a HomePod speaker and an iPad, potentially giving Apple a dedicated screen-based control centre for smart home features.

Trademark filings can provide early evidence of a company’s plans, but they do not guarantee that a name will reach consumers. Apple has previously used corporate entities to file trademarks connected to unreleased products and software, while sometimes selecting a different name before launch.

Apple has changed trademark plans before

A previous example involved Apple’s mixed-reality headset. Before the Apple Vision Pro launched in 2023, a company ultimately linked to Apple filed for the “visionOS” trademark. That name became the official operating system branding for the headset.

Apple was also associated with an “xrOS” trademark during the same development period, but the company ultimately did not use that name. The precedent means HomeView and homeOS may be meaningful clues, but neither is certain to become part of Apple’s final product strategy.

Other possible names for Apple’s home hub

HomePad has also been suggested as a possible name for the device, reflecting the expected combination of HomePod and iPad characteristics. Apple Home is another possibility, although that could create confusion with the existing Apple Home app.

A HomePod Pro label is also conceivable, particularly if Apple positions the device as a more capable member of its smart speaker range. Apple has used overlapping names across products and services before, including Apple TV 4K hardware, the Apple TV app and the Apple TV streaming service.

If the reported October 13 launch takes place, Apple could resolve the naming questions soon. Until then, the HomeView and homeOS filings remain indications of possible branding rather than confirmation of the company’s final choices.