After stepping back from launching new product lines in recent years, Apple is reportedly getting back into the game early next year. Bloomberg reports that Apple is planning to introduce a wall-mounted display as soon as March 2025 that will be capable of controlling applications, making video conference calls, and using AI to complete tasks on its own.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claims that Apple will market its touchscreen display as a command center for your smart home, with Apple Intelligence as a headlining feature.
The device will feature a 6-inch screen and “look like a square iPad.” If you stack two iPhones next to each other, you could get a general idea of the size of the device. Above the screen is a camera, and the display also ships with a rechargeable battery and internal speakers. You’ll be able to order the smart display in black and silver when it launches.
The interface will combine elements of watchOS and the StandBy mode that Apple rolled out in iOS 17 last year. That said, Apple is convinced that users will rely on voice commands to control the device, as it will include Siri and Apple Intelligence.
Apple is also still working on the higher-end version of the smart home companion with a robotic limb and an AI-driven personality. Sources believe the device could retail for as much as $1,000, but the version we’ll see early next year should be much cheaper.
Apple is building attachments for the device as well, such as wall mounts and bases with built-in speakers. Gurman also reveals that the operating system, codenamed Pebble, includes sensors to determine how close a user is to the device, shows widgets on the home screen, has a dock for easy access to apps, and delivers security alerts.
Apple is finally ready to give Amazon’s Echo Show a run for its money.
