Apple is reportedly planning a smart home device with an iPad -like design , aiming to compete with Amazon's Echo Show and Google's Nest Hub , as first reported by Bloomberg.
The device is rumored to look like a low-end iPad, acting as a central hub for controlling thermostats, lights, and security, and is said to allow for FaceTime. It could be mounted on walls using magnetic clips or positioned more as a home hub-type device, rather than a regular iPad.
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The company has also discussed the idea of building its own smart home displays larger than iPads, though there aren't many details about that project. Either way, Apple's smart home products won't be ready until 2024.
Rumors of potential Apple smart displays have surfaced before. Last summer, reports surfaced that the company had four smart home devices in its labs, including a kitchen accessory that combined an iPad with a speaker.
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Smart home devices with touchscreens represent a potentially lucrative market segment that is still largely untapped by Apple. Amazon makes several versions of its Echo Show smart display , with prices ranging from around $30 for the Echo Show 8 to $250 for the Echo Show 15. The Echo Show offers users many features and benefits that make life easier, such as hands-free video conferencing capabilities, access to thousands of skills, compatibility with smart lights/thermostats/cameras, and more! Google has the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max , priced at $100 and $229 respectively.
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Apple just made a major update to its smart home business yesterday. The company released a new $300 version of its larger HomePod , which was discontinued last year. The new HomePod features new smart home features along with updates like improved audio, an S7 chip, and more. Included is a built-in temperature and humidity sensor, along with a feature called Sound Recognition that can monitor smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and send an alert to your iPhone .
Source: www.engadget.com
