Apple is purportedly building up a new TV accessory that joins elements of its Apple TV with a HomePod speaker and camera for video calls, as indicated by another report from Bloomberg. Close by it, Apple is likewise supposed to be working on a smart speaker with a display, like Amazon’s Echo Show or Google’s Nest Hub. Improvement of the two gadgets is supposed to be in its beginning stages, with plans subject to change.
The unannounced TV accessory would have the hardware to satisfy a variety of roles. As a TV accessory it could offer access to games and the streaming video services supported by Apple TV today; while its built-in speaker would probably be an upgrade over those found in most TV sets, like Roku’s soundbars. It would likewise support HomePod features like music playback and Siri voice assistant controls, similar as the Sonos Beam offers with Alexa and Google Assistant. At long last, the camera would allow it to serve as a video calling gadget like a Facebook Portal TV. It’s conceivably a great deal of functionality in a single Apple gadget.
The second device is a smart display like what contenders Amazon and Google effectively offer, consolidating features of an iPad and HomePod. Apple’s work on the gadget was recently announced by Bloomberg a month ago. Like the TV accessory, this gadget would likewise offer video chat features, however by means of its built-in screen as opposed to an associated TV. Apple is said to have investigated utilizing a robotic arm to rotate the display and track clients, like Amazon’s 2020 Echo Show.
While Apple’s current smart home gadgets have focused on one or two key zones, the functionality offered by the two reputed gadgets would be a lot more extensive. Bloomberg noticed that Apple consolidated its HomePod and Apple TV engineering groups in 2020.
Apple’s smart home lineup could use a shot in the arm. The organization hasn’t updated its Apple TV hardware lineup since 2017, and it recently discontinued its very good quality HomePod to focus on the more moderate HomePod mini. A hardware update for the Apple TV has been supposed for several months now, and recently found code proposes it may incorporate support for 120Hz refresh rates.