Apple's working on several new monitors, Mark Gurman's latest Power On subscriber-edition newsletter for Bloomberg reports, including one interesting model that could act as a smart display and launch as early as next year.
This in-development display apparently features both an A-series chipset from the iPhone and some form of iOS-based software. "The idea is that the screen could double as a Mac monitor and a smart home display with a low-power mode," Gurman explains.
Apple already produces the Studio Display and Pro Display XDR, both of which are, at their core, traditional monitors. Both are vaild options, depending on if you prioritize a lower price and built-in webcam or a larger panel with higher resolution and brightness. But neither will help out with smart home management like this rumored display allegedly can.
Hybrid smart home devices — a growing trend
A monitor that could serve a purpose even when your computer is disconnected sounds like the perfect accompaniment for a Mac or MacBook, or even a full-on replacement for an iMac. We've seen other manufacturers try this out, such as Samsung's M8 Smart Monitor, which offers streaming and casting features like the best TVs, or the recently launched Google Pixel Tablet, which can act as a standard tablet or a smart display when docked.
A monitor/smart display hybrid also brings iOS 17's StandBy feature to mind. While this is an iPhone feature, the ability to see the time, notifications and various other widgets when your phone's otherwise idle when charging perhaps shows Apple's considering multiple ways to enhance its smart home offering without building a dedicated smart display.
Apple's other rumored adjacent project to this is an extra-large 14.1-inch iPad Pro using a new operating system. Perhaps this could also be used to offer a smart display-style experience when you're not using an app.
Gurman says he doesn't expect this smart display/monitor to arrive "until next year at the very earliest." Perhaps keep an eye out for this alongside 2024's Mac and MacBook refreshes, which going by Apple's normal product release schedule could come either in the spring at a dedicated event or alongside WWDC in the summer.
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