Apple’s next big thing is a smart home device equipped with Apple Intelligence, according to a new Bloomberg report published Tuesday.
The device will look like a square iPad, the size of two iPhones side by side, and can be mounted on a wall, according to the report. It will have a 6-inch screen and act as a smart home command center, controlling locks, lights, sprinklers, speakers, and other smart home appliances.
Like the iPhone, which recently received the Apple Intelligence update, the new home device will come with Siri and Apple Intelligence. Users will interact with the smart device with their voice, and be able to talk to Siri to ask questions and give commands. They will also have access to FaceTime, audio and video intercoms, and Apple Music.
The Apple Siri logo on a smartphone with the Apple Intelligence logo in the background. Photo by Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images
“See [Apple] they feel like they’re going to sell a lot of these things, they feel like people are going to buy a lot of these types of homes,” said Bloomberg senior correspondent Mark Gurman.
Apple could release the device as early as March, according to Bloomberg.
Related: Apple Intelligence ‘Changed My Life,’ says CEO Tim Cook. Here’s How the New iPhone AI Keeps Her Time.
With the device, Apple is entering a crowded field. Amazon leads the world, holding 28% of the market share compared to Google’s 17.2% in the first quarter of 2022.
The smart device that Apple is planning will have to compete with the Echo Show 8 from Amazon, which costs $150, and the Nest Hub Max from Google, which costs $230.
Apple will strive to differentiate itself with unprecedented Apple Intelligence features, according to the report.
Related: Apple Reportedly Eyeing Home Robot Space After Completing Its Ten-Year Electric Car Project
For one, the screen will use smart sensors and AI to automatically detect how close or far away a person is in order to adjust its display accordingly. For example, it can show the room temperature when someone is far away, and then show the thermostat when that person approaches to adjust the temperature.
Apple will compete with the price of its smart home offering, according to Bloomberg, but it will continue to play Google and Amazon, which has an advantage for years to come. Amazon released the first Echo Show in the US in 2017 and Google came out with the Nest Hub, also known as the Home Hub, in 2018.
“See [Apple] are at the top of the smart home market,” Gurman said.
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