The iPad is already a common smart home control panel, but Apple is reportedly pushing its smart home focus into high gear as the company is reportedly working on a mounted display with a rotatable robotic arm designed to be a centralized smart home control center.
The device, first reported by Bloomberg, features a full robotic arm that can rotate 360-degrees and automatically face users in the room during a FaceTime call. The device will feature Siri and the company’s new generative AI initiative Apple Intelligence, giving the device voice-activation and the ability to recognize different people.
The tabletop device is also likely to be deeply integrated with Apple services like HomeKit or Apple Music, according to reporting on the Bloomberg article, which is paywalled.
This report follows several others suggesting that Apple is working on new smart home devices and systems, but this one appears to have some legs as Bloomberg reports that the company is aiming for a launch as soon as 2026. The product may cost around $1,000.
Earlier leaks out of Cupertino, Calif. have confirmed that Apple is working on a long-rumored smart home device that would include a display and new Apple chips.
Lightapalooza took place in late February, and the growth of the event has mirrored the rapid ascension lighting fixtures and controls.
If these plans do come to fruition, Apple will position itself as a competitor to companies like Amazon and Google who currently make tablet-like devices with smart home controls. However, Apple may already have a head start, as iPads are commonly used in custom smart homes as control devices, and CEDIA-channel home control platform Savant is deeply integrated with Apple systems.
In addition, reporting from February included rumors of a new Apple smart home platform, homeOS. References were found in the developer version of tvOS 17.4, indicating a potential overhaul of Apple’s smart home strategy. This was later followed by FCC filings by Apple that included the presence of Thread radios in several Apple products, furthering the theory.
With nothing yet official from Apple, and no response from a CE Pro inquiry, we’re left with just rumors and reports of anonymous sources and only what we can gather from code.
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