Apple is making two notable AI-related moves, agreeing a reverse acqui-hire deal with personalized audio startup Huxewhile preparing to introduce a Siri-powered smart home hub called HomeView, according to a regulatory filing and reporting from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
In a filing with the European Commission, first reported by MacRumors, Apple disclosed that it has agreed to make employment offers to certain Huxe employees and to receive a non-exclusive license to the startup’s intellectual property. Reverse acqui-hires have become a common way for large technology companies to recruit key staff and license technology from startups without acquiring them outright, potentially allowing them to build AI talent and capabilities while attracting less antitrust scrutiny.
Huxe was founded by developers who previously worked on the AI-generated podcast features in Google’s NotebookLM, since renamed Gemini Notebook. The startup announced on May 21 that it was shutting down, removing its app from the Apple and Google stores, halting its service and deleting user data. The team said it was moving on to new projects and would not continue developing the product, and thanked users for helping shape it. Apple notified the European Commission of the deal on June 9. The filing does not identify who received offers, whether they were accepted, or what Apple plans to do with the technology.
Huxe’s shutdown came a day after Spotify introduced its own AI-powered podcast generation features, suggesting Apple could be looking to add similar AI audio capabilities to its Podcasts app.
Separately, Gurman reported that Apple will announce the HomeView on Tuesday. He described it as a Siri-powered device with a display and an A18 chip that lets users control their other smart home devices. The hub will reportedly come in two versions, one designed for countertops and another for wall mounting, after years of reports that Apple was developing such a product.
The HomeView would represent Apple’s most serious push into the smart home to date, following limited traction for its HomeKit software framework and HomePod smart speaker. Gurman also reported that Apple will introduce updated versions of the Apple TV set-top box and HomePod mini at the same event. Earlier in the week, he said Apple plans to announce a partnership with LG to develop a smart lock, thermostat and doorbell, further broadening its connected home ecosystem.
