Apple working on 2 new smart-home products, report says
BERLIN, GERMANY – JANUARY 02: In this photo illustration the logo of Apple is displayed during a software update on an Iphone on a smartphone on January 02, 2019 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo Illustration by Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images)
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(NEXSTAR) — Apple is developing a new product in the smart-home space — a combination Apple TV and smart speaker with a screen, Bloomberg reported Monday.
The tech giant is blending an “Apple TV set-top box with a HomePod speaker” that includes the Siri voice assistant and a video camera for conferencing, Bloomberg said, quoting sources familiar with the matter. The hybrid would include the typical Apple TV box functions — such as video-watching and gaming — along with smart speaker capabilities.
A separate device — a “high-end” speaker — is also in the works, according to the report.
The speaker will have a touch screen “to better compete with market leaders Google and Amazon.com Inc.,” Bloomberg reported. The touch screen is expected to be the feature that sets it apart, combining an iPad with a HomePod speaker along with a camera, according to the report.
Apple is reportedly in the early development stages of both devices.
The products could be a new opening for the company in the smart-home space. Apple held 2% of the TV streaming device market in 2020, according to Strategy Analytics, while its HomePod has never had more than 10% of the smart speaker market.
Apple’s HomePod was discontinued in March in favor of the new HomePod Mini, which, thanks to its lower price, has fared better. In addition, the Apple TV box has gone without an update for more than three years.
