Apple’s next big thing is a smart home device infused with Apple Intelligence, according to a new Bloomberg report published Tuesday.
The device will look like a square iPad, the size of two iPhones side-by-side, and be able to be mounted to the wall, per the report. It will feature a 6-inch screen and function as a smart command center for the home, with control over locks, lights, sprinklers, speakers, and other smart home appliances.
Just like the iPhone, which recently received an Apple Intelligence update, the new device for home will come with Siri and Apple Intelligence. Users will interact with the smart device with their voice, and be able to talk to Siri to ask questions and give commands. They will also have access to FaceTime, audio and video intercoms, and Apple Music.
Apple Siri logo on a smartphone with the Apple Intelligence logo in the background. Photo by Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images
“They [Apple] feel like they’re going to sell a lot of these things, they feel like people are going to buy multiple versions of these for their homes,” Bloomberg chief correspondent Mark Gurman stated.
Apple could release the device by March at the earliest, per Bloomberg.
With the device, Apple is entering a crowded space. Amazon has led the way globally, owning 28% of the market share compared to Google’s 17.2% in the first quarter of 2022.
The smart device Apple is planning will have to compete with the Echo Show 8 from Amazon, which goes for $150, and the Nest Hub Max from Google, which costs $230.
Apple will strive to differentiate itself with never-before-seen Apple Intelligence features, according to the report.
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For one, the screen will use smart sensors and AI to automatically figure out how near or far someone is to adjust what it shows accordingly. For example, it could show the temperature of the room if someone is further away, and then show a thermostat if that person comes closer to adjust the temperature.
Apple will competitively price its smart home offering, per Bloomberg, but will still be playing catch-up to Google and Amazon, which have a years-ahead advantage. Amazon released the first Echo Show in the U.S. in 2017 and Google came out with the Nest Hub, known then as the Home Hub, in 2018.
“They [Apple] are a serious lagger in the smart home market,” Gurman said.
