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Apple has long been rumored to be revamping its smart home gadget range with a new desktop device that can roam around a user's desk and includes a robotic arm. However, before this rumored tablet hits the market, the Cupertino-based tech behemoth may release a lower-end version that foregoes some prominent features in order to keep the price low. According to a seasoned writer, the rumored smart home hub might be released by the end of the year, complete with a tablet-like display, camera, Apple Intelligence compatibility, and a new operating system.
Apple’s New Smart Home Hub Launch
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple's smart home hub with a robotic arm, codenamed J595, is part of the company's intentions to release AI-centric gadgets. The claimed device, which has a screen similar to an iPad, might have a robotic arm connected at the end that can move about on the user's desk. According to the writer, Apple intends to include a "unique AI personality" into this gadget, and while the company had hoped to release it soon, these plans have been hampered.
However, this does not indicate that the company's intentions have been abandoned. Meanwhile, a lower-priced version of the smart home gadget will be released by the end of the year, according to Gurman. The codename J490 is said to have a 7-inch screen and a square form factor similar to the iPad. There is a camera at the top, and it may also have internal speakers, a built-in battery, and Apple Intelligence compatibility.
According to the writer, this alleged gadget might work as an AI wall tablet, allowing users to manage it using a touch interface that is a combination of watchOS, which powers the Apple Watch, and the iPhone's Standby mode. It is also expected to signal the launch of the iPhone maker's new operating system, homeOS.
Its launch this year will be followed by the release of the tabletop smart home gadget with a robotic arm "a year or two later". To get it ready for production, Apple is rumored to have removed several features that may appear in future editions. While formal specifics are still being kept under wraps, the business hopes to gain traction in the smart home device industry after losing ground to Amazon and Google, who provide Alexa and Nest devices, respectively.
