Apple may be working on a new range of smart home products in addition to the HomePod speaker announced on Wednesday. This is reported by Apple insider and Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman. Among other things, the company would introduce an iPad-like smart screen.
According to Gurman sources Apple’s smart display is “essentially a low-end iPad.” The display would mainly be used to operate smart home equipment such as smart thermostats and lighting. The screen must also support relatively simple tasks such as video playback and FaceTime. The product can be attached in the house with magnets, for example on a wall. In time, the company would also consider making larger smart home screens, although Gurman does not mention specific sizes. It is not yet known when the screen should be released.
Apple would continue to work on a refresh of the Apple TV, which should be released in the first half of 2024. The new variant would get a faster soc, but not yet support 8k playback. Earlier this year, Apple released a new Apple TV 4K out that was cheaper than its predecessor and came with a minimum of 64GB storage. The current Apple TV 4K has an A15 Bionic soc, which is used in the iPhone 13 series, iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus phones, and the iPad mini, among others.
In addition, Apples project for a smart HomePod speaker with integrated Apple TV media player has been delayed, according to Gurman, although the company is still working on it. The device was initially planned for this year, but would now appear in 2024 at the earliest. Bloomberg first wrote in 2021 about its possible arrival.
