A tiny iPad-like smart display could ship next year, says report
A tiny iPad-like smart display could ship next year, says report
Apple is working on its first smart display, and a new report says it might arrive in 2025
🖥️ Apple is reportedly working on a smart display for 2025
🤏 The device will look like an iMac G4, but tiny
🤖 It’ll be powered by an A18 and let you make FaceTime calls with homeOS
💰 Rumors suggest it’ll be relatively affordable
Apple is rumored to be working on a smart display with a robotic arm for 2026, but it could ship a more accessible version of that product in 2025. A report from Mark Gurman in his Power On newsletter suggests that the iPhone maker is developing its first iPad-like smart display that will resemble the design of the iMac G4 from 2002. The device, which will launch an entirely new product category for Apple, is expected to ship in 2025, according to rumors.
In his newsletter, Gurman says that the device’s display will be relatively small and square-shaped, almost like two iPhones sitting next to each other. The screen will sit on a base that’s expected to contain speakers, which will allow you to speak to Siri, play music, and more. The screen’s orientation will be at a slight angle, although it’s unclear whether it’ll be connected to the base with an arm, which would help complete the iMac G4 look.
Inside, Gurman notes that the smart display is expected to come with an A18 chip, the same processor you’ll find in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. For software, Apple is expected to introduce a new operating system called homeOS which will power all of the company’s future smart displays. You’ll be able to run apps like FaceTime, Calendar, and Notes on it, and it’ll likely incorporate a lot of voice commands since you won’t be using it like an iPad most of the time.
One of the most interesting tidbits in Gurman’s report is the pricing of this mysterious smart home display. While Apple is known for charging more for its devices because it has an Apple logo (well, not really, but you know what I mean), Gurman thinks it’ll be priced fairly so that it’s easier to buy a bunch of them for your home. The report mentions the phrase “relatively cheap,” but it’s very unclear what that could mean. Are we talking $99, $199, $299, $399? Who’s to say?
We won’t know how much this new gadget will cost until 2025 when Apple is expected to ship it. Previous reports indicate that the smart display could arrive in the first half of the year, so stay tuned as we inch closer to that time frame in the next few months.
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Max Buondonno is a writer at The Shortcut. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop.