Apple’s unannounced Home Hub may ship in four finishes rather than one, according to a new leak. The claim comes from the leaker known as pdfu, who MacRumors describes as having a solid track record. The four listed finishes are Silver, Space Gray, Starlight and Rose Pink. Treat this as a rumor rather than a fact, since it is a leaker’s claim and not an Apple announcement. It does carry unusual backing, though. And it lands in the same week Apple Stores reportedly received sealed boxes they were told not to open.
Where the four-color claim comes from
The colors are not a single-source rumor. MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris separately found references to the same four finishes in the macOS 26.7 Release Candidate code. That was back in August 2026. A leaker’s claim and a months-old code string landing on an identical list is a stronger signal than either alone.
There is a feature hook attached too. On the Home Hub, users will reportedly be able to set up a Photo Face. The preview artwork matches the color of the unit they own. That only makes sense if more than one color exists.
The counter-evidence deserves equal billing. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman first described the device, and said it comes in “Apple’s standard gray aluminum finish” as quoted by MacRumors. He mentioned no other options. MacRumors itself is careful to say the remaining three colors may not materialize. Our earlier piece on Apple’s smart home hub and its reported October 13 date covered Gurman’s original report, including the display and mounting details.
The sealed boxes in Apple Stores
Separately, MacRumors reports that Apple Stores worldwide received confidential boxes earlier this week. The stickers on them instruct staff not to open the contents until October 8. MacRumors says it was tipped off about the shipment and verified it independently.
The contents are an inference, not a confirmed fact. The boxes are believed to hold new visual merchandising material. That means labels, graphics and product layout guides for a retail refresh. MacRumors ties that to the Home Hub, an updated Apple TV 4K and a HomePod mini 2. The outlet also flags a smaller possibility that the materials relate instead to the rumored iPhone Duo.
Two separately sourced dates are now in play. The store stickers read October 8, while Gurman’s report points to Apple pushing into the smart home market on October 13. MacRumors notes it is still unclear whether that second date is an announcement or an on-sale date. We are not going to pretend the two line up into a known schedule.
For Android readers, the price is the detail that matters most. As of October 1, no price has been reported. Google’s own smart home hardware offers a comparison point, as our coverage of its TV Streamer and Nest price changes shows. A four-color lineup is a nice touch. An unannounced product with no price attached is still one nobody can budget for.
Sources: MacRumors (colors), MacRumors (store boxes), pdfu, Mark Gurman via MacRumors
