Smart home expansion? Apple reportedly developing an ‘AI wall tablet’ for smart home control, Siri, video calls

Apple is reportedly developing a new AI display that will be used to offer smart home controls, as well as a number of other features.

This is according to Bloomberg’s noted Apple leaker, Mark Gurman, who cited people with knowledge of the effort. The new smart home control panel from Apple is reportedly designed to be mounted on a wall, or a tabletop stand, or a robotic arm.

It seems as though the new Apple display could offer similar features to the Amazon Echo Hub or even the larger Amazon Echo Show 15.

Amazon it should be remembered apparently intends to overhaul its Alexa voice assistant and upgrade it with AI capabilities, and potentially charge users a monthly fee.

Apple display

The new Apple display is said to be codenamed J490, and also will feature the new Apple Intelligence AI platform, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the work is confidential.

According to Bloomberg’s Gruman, Apple new device will offer the user the new Siri smart assistant, as well as Apple Intelligence that had been announced back in June.

The display will also reportedly interface with HomeKit-compatible lights, cameras and doorbells, as well as use AI to navigate Apple apps and attend video calls etc.

However it seems that an Apple iPhone will be required to complete the initial setup.

The display will reportedly be available in silver and black, and will contain sensors to detect how close a person is to the screen so it can adjust that it is showing based on how far away people are from the device.

It will apparently feature a six inch display with thick edges, as well as a built-in camera, a rechargeable battery, and speakers.

The device will also reportedly contain Apple’s Handoff feature that allows users to continue tasks across different Apple devices.

The new device reportedly has multiple mounting bases (wall and countertop stand) and runs a new operating system that reportedly “looks like a blend of the Apple Watch operating system and the iPhone’s recently launched StandBy mode.”

There are also reportedly plans under development at Apple for more expensive version with a robotic arm that can tilt and spin its screen.

There is no word on pricing, but it was reported that Apple is gearing up to announce the device as early as March 2025 and will position it as a command centre.

Smart home expansion?

The device could signal Apple’s intentions to get serious about the smart home market and expand its smart home ecosystem, where it lags behind some of the more established players in this field such as Amazon and Google.

Some may question the need for this new display, considering that Apple recently updated its iPad Mini tablet with Apple Intelligence, and that tablet could effectively double as a smart home controller with a few tweaks.

Apple does already offer some surprising smart home offerings.

In October 2022 for example Apple quietly began selling a smart door lock that can unlock exterior doors with the touch of an iPhone or Apple Watch.

Dubbed the Level Lock+ from Level Home, Apple said it is the smallest, most capable smart lock ever, available in a footprint of a traditional door lock.