Smart Home screen from Apple: in the look of the lamp iMac?
Is Apple reviving an old design? A new smart home device is allegedly inspired by the iMac G4, according to a report.
iMac G4: Screen with free positioning thanks to special mechanism.
(Image: Apple)
Long-time Apple users will remember this legendary design: the iMac G4, the successor to the iMac with a CRT monitor, had a flat screen that could be freely adjusted in height, viewing angle and orientation using an arm. The 15-inch model from 2002 was later followed by a 17-inch and even a 20-inch model.
Two iPhones side by side, mounted on a base
Apple is now reportedly planning to implement a similar approach for its as yet unnamed smart home display. This was reported by the usually well-informed journalist Mark Gurman in his newsletter on Sunday. According to him, the completely new device will have an "old-school iMac-like base". The screen will be roughly square and the size of "two iPhones side by side". It will be mounted at an angle on a small base reminiscent of the hemisphere of the iMac G4.
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Speakers could then be built into it, "turning the device into a kind of HomePod with a screen". The size should ensure that the device is relatively inexpensive. Apple is apparently hoping that customers will buy several and place them in the rooms of their home. The display will run a new operating system that can handle iPad-like apps, as well as Apple tools such as Notes, Calendar and FaceTime.
Robot coming later
It should also be possible to run video and photo slideshows. However, the main purpose is to control several smart home devices via the unit. It will also only be the first of several products of this type. Later, a robotic device with a rotating arm is also planned, which will cost around 1,000 US dollars – and will not appear before 2026. The Smart Home Display, on the other hand, could appear as early as 2025 and help Apple to gain a stronger foothold in the smart home segment.
Apple recently launched new HomePods from the second series on the market. These came onto the market in February 2023 and also serve as a Thread hub, but were otherwise only slightly modified compared to their (very old) predecessor. HomePods have never had a real screen.
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