Apple's rumored smart home display might arrive early next year with Apple Intelligence onboard

It's reported to be a six-inch square screen that can be wall-mounted

News By Jacob Krol published 12 November 2024

• Apple's long-rumored smart home display might arrive as soon as March 2025
• It could have a six-inch screen and run a new operating system
• Apple Intelligence could be front and center

There is seldom a shortage of Apple rumors, but one that has been constant – and heating up in recent months – is that the technology giant is planning to release a smart home display. And it makes a lot of sense as Apple continues to push into the smart home – there are already two smart speakers, the HomePod and HomePod mini, major updates to the Home app, and we can’t forget that Apple is part of the smart home standard Matter.

Now, though, it seems Apple is working at a record pace to ready a smart home display. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that “a wall-mounted display that can control appliances, handle videoconferencing, and use AI to navigate apps” could launch as early as March 2025. That’s just five months away, and it sounds like a direct competitor to Amazon’s Echo Show 15. It might also be my dream Apple smart home display and a bit better than just a HomePod with a screen.

Gurman shares a bit more about the smart display, which is codenamed J490. As expected, it’ll be a showcase for Apple Intelligence and likely the smarter features of the forthcoming Siri. From a design and hardware standpoint, it’ll come in silver or black and stand as a 6-inch square screen that resembles an iPad with thicker bezels. The report states it’s “about the size of two iPhones side by side” with a built-in camera seemingly for FaceTime calls or home monitoring, speakers, and a rechargeable battery.

There is no mention of the processor, but we’d expect it to be Apple Silicon as it will need to power some other sensors, including one that can detect how many people are near the display. This is likely similar to Google’s Soli technology that is used on the Nest Thermostat to adjust what’s on screen based on whether you’re closer to it or farther away.

Bloomberg’s report notes that the operating system is a cross between watchOS and the iPhone’s StandBy mode. This means you’ll likely get dedicated apps and peek into them like widgets. It’s reported that it will run FaceTime, Safari, Music, and Calendar, among others. Of course, it will also be an ideal way to control the smart home, and it is being pegged as a “Command Center.”

As far as interactions go, it will either be touch or hands-free voice through Siri, much like a HomePod or HomePod Mini. The report notes that the smart display was “designed around App Intents, a system that lets AI precisely control applications and tasks” – a feature originally shown off at WWDC 2024 when Apple Intelligence was launched.

Just as Amazon offers several designs for Echos or how Google’s Pixel Tablet can be affixed to a stand, Apple has reportedly made different attachments or bases for the smart display. The report notes that beyond hanging on a wall, there will be bases for placing it on a desk, nightstand, or even counter, and these will offer better sound through additional speakers. It remains to be seen if the wall attachment will be done magnetically to a mount, allowing you to move it around quickly.

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