Apple has been behind on smart home tech for a while, but that’s changing. The company is quietly working on a set of new devices to fill your house with screens, reports Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. With an operating system overhaul, these products might give Apple a shot at challenging Amazon and Google in a market it’s struggled to break into before.
HomePod and Apple TV have their fans, but neither device has made a massive dent. To fix that, Apple is pushing forward with new hardware powered by a soon-to-be-unveiled “homeOS.” The new platform is expected to streamline operations across devices. Borrowing elements from tvOS, the homeOS system will be at the core of their future smart home lineup.
New Smart Displays on the Horizon
In the works is a low-cost smart display that functions much like an iPad, but it’s meant to stay at home. You’ll use it to stream from the Apple TV app, browse online, and make FaceTime calls, among other things. Apple’s looking to keep the price low, betting people will pick up a few for different rooms. The exact launch date remains under wraps, but the plan is clear: more screens, everywhere.
High-End Smart Device Coming Later
Also reportedly in the pipeline is a high-end device that’ll sit on your table and do much more. It’s expected to retail around $1,000, featuring a screen mounted on a robotic arm capable of swiveling to face you. It’s designed to handle home security tasks, video conferencing, and playing media.
The device is likely to include AI-driven technology to understand its surroundings, learning how to better interact with users. Although, it is still unclear when this product will see the light of day, but Apple’s ambitious plans aim to make it a key part of their new smart home strategy.
Apple Adopts Matter and AI to Broaden Appeal
One reason Apple’s previous attempts haven’t worked well in this area is its closed ecosystem. Unlike Amazon or Google, Apple’s smart devices have been less flexible when it comes to working with products outside its brand. However, Apple’s now integrating the Matter protocol into its system, which could make future products far more compatible with third-party devices.
Matter is a standard that lets smart home gadgets from different companies talk to each other, making it easier for users to mix and match across brands. AI is also central to Apple’s smart home push.
The company’s new Apple Intelligence is being developed to manage home automation, integrating more intuitive control over apps and devices. This could allow for smarter routines and deeper customization for those with complex home setups. The company aims to make its smart home experience far more fluid by understanding what’s happening inside your home and responding accordingly.
Moving Engineers and Expanding Smart Home Team
As Apple pivots to smart home tech, it’s moving some engineers from its discontinued electric car division to this new Home Ecosystem team. The company’s pouring resources into this renewed push, hoping to capture more market share after years of lukewarm reception in the home automation space.
Apple’s earlier products didn’t set the smart home world on fire. The original HomePod, a $349 speaker, flopped, and the Apple TV set-top box, while popular with a niche crowd, never managed to overshadow cheaper alternatives. Yet, the HomePod Mini has fared better, suggesting there’s potential in the space if Apple can get its pricing and feature set right.
Last Updated on November 7, 2024 2:35 pm CET