Apple is taking the step into the smart home universe and plans to launch its own AI-controlled command center for the home in March 2025. The Smart Home Display is intended to act as a central hub that not only provides entertainment but also enables the control of various smart home devices. Developments in this area have been underway for years, and now the company seems ready to fight for market share with the market leaders Amazon and Google.
Smart home technologies have been booming for some time, and Apple has been following this trend closely. With the new command center, Apple aims to offer seamless and intuitive control for your connected home. As usual, Apple places great emphasis on design, user-friendliness, and deep integration into the Apple ecosystem. It remains to be seen whether this step represents serious competition for existing systems from Amazon and Google. What is certain, however, is that Apple's entry could shake up the smart home market.
Design and hardware of the smart home display
The Smart Home Display is described as a handy device with a screen of about six inches. It is based on the iPad, but more square and with thicker bezels on the edges, so Bloomberg. On the front there is a camera that supports FaceTime calls - a practical feature if you place the device centrally in the house. Internal speakers ensure music playback, and a built-in battery makes the display flexible and mobile. The Smart Home Display is available in silver and black to match different living styles. It is operated via a touch-sensitive surface, although the main control is via voice. Apple relies on the integration of "Apple Intelligence", which allows you to easily control apps and smart home products using voice commands. With "App Intents", a Siri-supported system, control is particularly easy.
Operating system and widgets: Personalized control
The operating system that Apple has developed for this device is a combination of the iPhone's standby mode and watchOS. This is intended to make the Smart Home display intuitive and familiar, especially for users of other Apple products. Particularly practical: you can customize the home screen. Widgets display information such as the weather, upcoming appointments, a photo slideshow or the most important controls for your Smart Home. A software-based dock enables apps to be started quickly and gives the display a certain versatility.
person recognition and dynamic adaptation
An interesting feature of the hub is the built-in person detection. Sensors in the device register how close you are and adjust the functions accordingly. If no one is nearby, the display shows general information such as the room temperature. If you move closer, it switches to a user interface for controlling the thermostat - similar to Nest's smart thermostats. In the future, the device could even detect how many people are in the room. The technology for this could work via external sensors that Apple installs in sockets - although it is not yet certain whether Apple will actually offer such additional sensors.
security functions and communication
A key aspect of the Smart Home Display is the security function. It should be compatible with Smart Home cameras and be able to display images and warnings from networked cameras. For households that use multiple displays, Apple also offers a kind of intercom system: Multiple Smart Home Hubs can be connected to each other so that you can communicate from room to room. This function could be particularly useful in larger houses or apartments and give the hub added value as a means of communication in the household.
Integration of well-known Apple apps and accessories
In addition to intelligent home control, the display will support numerous Apple apps such as Safari, Apple Music, Apple News, Notes, Calendar and Photos. However, a separate app store will not be integrated, which means that the display will focus primarily on controlling and using pre-installed apps. Apple also plans to make the display even more flexible with special attachments and mounts. For example, it could be mounted on the wall or placed on a stand with additional speakers, which increases the versatility of the device and makes it easier to use in different rooms of the house.
competition and possible pricing
With this smart home display, Apple is competing directly with Amazon's Echo Hub and Google's Nest Hub Max, which offer similar functions. The Echo Hub currently costs around 200 euros, while the Nest Hub Max costs around 300 euros. Apple will probably be in a similar price segment in order to be competitive in the market and to offer an attractive alternative for interested buyers. In addition, Apple has considered possibly developing its own product line for smart home accessories. For example, indoor security cameras that could be seamlessly integrated into the Apple ecosystem are conceivable. If the smart home display is successful, this accessories business could be another step to expand Apple's presence in the smart home sector.
Vision of the future: A mobile smart home hub?
In the long term, Apple has big plans for its smart home devices. According to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, Apple is working on a robot version of the Smart Home Hub. This could move the screen, which would further increase flexibility and ease of use. Whether and when this version will actually come to market remains to be seen, but it shows that Apple is betting on this market for the long term and is researching in this direction.
Apple focuses on the connected home: A central hub for comfort and security
With the new Smart Home Display, which is due to be launched in March 2025, Apple is showing that it wants to take the smart home market seriously. The planned command center will not only be used to control various devices but also offers many useful features that are intended to make the connected home safer and more comfortable. Apple attaches great importance to design and user-friendliness - aspects that make the device particularly attractive to long-time Apple users. The Smart Home Display combines many functions and will probably become a central component of a connected Apple household. It is designed both as a means of communication within the home and as a hub for controlling devices and apps. If the device is successful, this could significantly strengthen Apple's position in the smart home market and enable future developments, such as smart security cameras or a mobile version of the hub. (Image: Apple)
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