Apple is rumored to be working on new smart home devices, and new information has recently been leaked that suggest the massive tech company is taking aim at the smart home market with at least two new devices and an operating system.
According to several reports from recent days, Apple is working on two new smart display products and a smart home operating system.
The most newsy information comes from a Bloomberg report which details Apple’s in-development smart home displays and homeOS, which is expected to be the company’s newest operating system for those said displays.
According to Bloomberg, the company is working on a tabletop device that combines a robotic limb with a large iPad-like display. In addition, a lower-end smart home display will feature FaceTime capabilities and smart home control. Bloomberg says those devices are codenamed J595 and J490, respectively.
The lower-end device could be launched as early next year, Bloomberg reports.
Lightapalooza took place in late February, and the growth of the event has mirrored the rapid ascension lighting fixtures and controls.
Bloomberg also says the new products will run homeOS, a new operating system similar to Apple TV’s tvOS. Both of those systems could be combined and run on every Apple home device, Bloomberg reports.
The products are collaborations between Apple’s AI and home device groups, Bloomberg reports, with the low-end display capable of running apps like Calendar, Notes and Home with an interface optimized for smart home control. The device may magnetically attach to walls or on tabletops.
iPads have been used as smart home control interfaces for years, so Apple working on a specialized version of the iPad or some kind of combination with a HomePod makes sense. However, what’s perhaps more important is that Apple will bring its Apple Intelligence AI tools to both products. Currently, devices like the Apple TV, HomePod and HomePod mini don’t have the necessary hardware to run AI models, according to the report.
According to Apple, Apple Intelligence is a new feature set designed to enhance the iPhone, iPad, and Mac experience using AI-driven tools. It integrates across the Apple ecosystem to improve productivity, learning, and creativity. Key features include adaptive learning in apps, intelligent content generation, and real-time assistance for tasks like summarizing documents, suggesting edits, and refining presentations.
These capabilities are designed to transform the user experience by making daily tasks more intuitive and efficient. In the context of smart home, Apple Intelligence may be able to learn a user’s home control preferences and suggest actions accordingly. However, Apple hasn’t said anything about smart home capabilities, so this is just conjecture at this point.
New Apple smart home displays and a smart home operating system would be interesting developments in the CEDIA market, where Apple already plays an important role. iPads are common interface devices, and an increasing about of manufacturers like Savant and Control4 are integrating with Apple services such as Siri and HomeKit.
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