Apple is said to be developing a smart home device that resembles an iPad and aims to rival Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Nest Hub, as reported by Bloomberg. It is expected to function as a control center for thermostats, lights, and security systems and have FaceTime capabilities as well. In addition, it might be able to be mounted on walls using magnetic clips or positioned as a home hub device rather than a standard iPad.
The company is reportedly considering creating more extensive smart home displays than iPads. Still, there is no additional information available about them. It is expected that none of the innovative home products will be released until at least 2024.
Speculations about Apple’s potential smart displays have surfaced previously. For example, in August 2020, it was stated that the company had four smart home devices in its research and development, including a kitchen device that combined an iPad with a speaker. ( The same report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman accurately predicted the new HomePod model that was recently launched.)
Apple is also said to be developing an updated version of the Apple TV, which is planned to be released during the first half of 2024. It is expected to have a more powerful processor but will retain the same appearance as the current version.
Smart home devices with touchscreens offer a market opportunity that Apple must fully explore. For example, Amazon offers multiple versions of its brilliant display, varying costs from around $30 for the Echo Show 8 to $250 for the Echo Show 15. Likewise, Google has the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max, priced at $100 and $229, respectively.
Yesterday, Apple made a significant change to its innovative home products. After introducing new MacBook Pro and Mac mini models, it launched a new $300 version of the larger HomePad that was discontinued last year. This new version comes with innovative home features, better audio, an S7 chip, and a more affordable price point. It also has a built-in sensor for temperature and humidity and a quality called Sound Recognition that can detect smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and send notifications to an iPhone.