Apple’s next big thing may be a smart iPad you can hang on your wall

Macworld

Apple just wrapped up its slate of 2024 devices, but it’s never too early to look ahead. And according to a new report, big things are on the way.

As reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is looking to launch a new “wall-mounted display that can control appliances, handle videoconferencing and use AI to navigate apps.” The device, which Gurman says could arrive as early as March, is “a priority” for Tim Cook, who is pushing to get it to market after more than three years of development.

Gurman describes the device as a square iPad with a 6-inch screen, “about the size of two iPhones side by side, with a thick edge around the display.” He says it has a camera at the top front, a rechargeable built-in battery, and internal speakers. It will reportedly be available in silver and black. Gurman doesn’t venture to guess what the device will be called.

Of note, the new device won’t run iPadOS or tvOS. Instead, it has “a touch interface that looks like a blend of the Apple Watch operating system and the iPhone’s recently launched StandBy mode.” It will also be powered by Siri, which is expected to be the preferred method of interaction, like the Echo Show or Nest Hub. The OS is reportedly built around Apple’s App Intents, the upcoming Apple Intelligence framework that “provides functionality to deeply integrate your app’s actions and content with system experiences across platforms, including Siri, Spotlight, widgets, controls and more.”

Furthermore, the device will interact with Apple’s existing apps and services, including FaceTime, Safari, Apple Music, News+, Notes, Calendar, and Photos. Apple is also reportedly working on a higher-end version with a robotic arm that can spin 360 degrees and tilt up and down.

Also this week, it was reported by Ming-Chi Kuo that Apple is working on a smart home camera that could be released in 2026. It’s likely that the iPad described by Gurman will function as a home hub for cameras and other smart home gadgets and will likely be the start of a push into that category. As it stands, HomePods and Apple TV can work as a home hub, but this new device would be part of a renewed effort to define the Apple smart home.