Apple Set to Launch iPad-Like Smart Home Accessory Next Year

Apple may reportedly release an iPad-like smart home accessory based on its HomeOS platform as early as next year.

In the latest Power On newsletter, Gurman reports that the display would run Apple apps such as Calendar, Notes, and Home, with an interface “optimized for controlling appliances and quickly displaying information.”

Apple’s existing Apple TV and HomePod lineups already offer home hub functionality, but they critically lack the hardware to run AI models. In contrast, Apple intelligence will be the focus of the new home accessory, which is actually a “lower-end companion” to the $1,000+ robotic home devices, Gurman wrote.

Rumors of a similar device have been around for a while. A prototype design was said to resemble a HomePod, with a screen (that magnetically mounts to a wall or sits on a desk) and an iPad-like display attached to a robotic arm. Both accessories are said to be the result of a collaboration between Apple’s AI and home device hardware development groups.

Back-end code discovered by MacRumors in January suggested that Apple was developing its homeOS platform as a variant of tvOS. Then, another code reference found in June confirmed the existence of at least one unannounced home accessory.

In a previous report, 9to5Mac asserted that the A18 chip, built-in FaceTime camera, and “squarish display” are features of the lower-end smart home device. It appears that the device is compatible with AirPlay, can recognize hand movements from a distance, and can distinguish between users for customized requests. Apple may deliver the home product as early as next spring, according to 9to5Mac.