On this weekend's episode of Power On, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman revealed some additional details about Apple's upcoming smart home products, and it's likely that there will be a return to one of Apple's favorite computers, the iMac G4.
Apple has long been expected to be working on a smart home display, and it's currently on track to launch early next year. The device will also be Apple's first smart home product to feature Apple Intelligence and will feature the A18 chip.
It will have a relatively small screen, about the size of two iPhones placed side by side, with a square aspect ratio, Gurman said. The product will likely be relatively cheap and easy to roll out into your home, making Apple's upcoming HomeOS operating system quite accessible.
Gourman also mentions that Apple's new HomeOS will run apps like FaceTime, Notes, and Calendar, describing it as “well suited” for video and photo slideshows.
Additionally, he says there may be speakers at the base, making the smart home display more like a HomePod with a display.
Top comment from Burner
If Apple hadn't shut down its AirPort line of WiFi routers, they could have added mesh nodes to their HomePods and these new devices, and it would have been a great replacement for the Eero (now (owned by Amazon) or other mesh networks. It really feels like a missed opportunity.
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The most interesting part of all, though, is a small design detail that Gurman highlighted:
The screen sits at an angle on a small base, making it reminiscent of the round bottom of the iMac G4 from a couple of decades ago.
It looks like Apple's upcoming smart home display will be a welcome return for Apple fans, many of whom have always wanted to see the return of the iMac's retro design.
What do you think of Apple's upcoming smart home display? Will you buy one? Let us know in the comments.
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