Apple’s smart home display already sounds like a convenience victory

Over the past few weeks, rumors of Apple developing a smart display for home control have picked up pace. The company is said to be developing two versions, and one of them might even feature a robotic arm and revive an iconic Mac’s design. 

Now, Bloomberg has shared some juicy details about how the entry-level option will look and work. The device will offer a 6-inch screen with a square-ish format, flanked by sensors, including a FaceTime camera in landscape orientation. 

The sensors will feel a person’s presence and proximity, and will accordingly change what’s appearing on the screen. The standalone device will also able to sense the number of people in its vicinity, says the report.

It will run an entirely new operating system called homeOS. Aside from the usual video calling and smart home controls, the device will also be able to run core in-house apps such as Notes, Safari, Calendar. To that end, Apple’s team is reportedly eyeing a UI that serves iOS-inspired widgets. 

Music playback will also be at the heart of the device. “It will control music throughout the home on HomePod speakers,” claims the Bloomberg report. The touch-based interface borrows from the iPhone’s Standby Mode and watchOS.

Notably, Apple’s device will also focus on intercom facility, while also blending the video relay perk that is available on smart home cameras. The report notes that users in different areas of the house will be able to communicate via FaceTime calls. 

Moreover, home owners will be able to access security footage captured by connected cameras. Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem will be at the center of the market pitch, and accordingly, homeOS will also offer an overhauled control center. 

Despite the tablet-like form factor of the upcoming device, Apple is reportedly seeing it as some kind of wall-mounted screen. Currently in development under the codename J490, the device might arrive in the first half of 2025. 

Interestingly, it could prove to be a massive push for Siri and voice-first user interactions. Apple Intelligence will also be a core element of the package, especially the souped up Siri experience and deeper integration with apps.

The device is also claimed to support Handoff, a system that allows users to continue their ongoing task on another screen. In addition to native apps like Safari, Mail and FaceTime, some third-party apps also support the facility.

Apple is said to have developed various kinds of attachments for the device, including wall mounts and speaker bases. As far as the price goes, the company is apparently chasing the same bracket as Google’s Nest Hub Max and Amazon Echo Hub, both of which sell within the $250 range.