Is Apple’s planned “tabletop robot” a HomePod with a flanged, rotating iPad with a special arrangement? This is what the new speculations from America say. As 9to5Mac claims to have learned from informed circles, there is a new “home accessory” that is said to have already been discovered in the company’s backend code. Its codename is J490. There are also preliminary details about the form factor and hardware.
Advertisement
A18 with square screen
A square screen (“squarish display” – more square) should be installed – as well as a current A-18 SoC to enable Apple Intelligence. Should an integrated camera run with FaceTime and other video conferencing apps, users could be identified and then addressed directly for Siri’s “personal requests” (this is currently only possible by voice).
Similar to Apple TV devices, apps should also be able to run on the “home accessory”, and a lock screen with different clock displays is also planned. It’s still unclear whether Apple plans to simply call the device HomePod. Companies like Amazon or Meta had tried several times with a combination of speakers and video conferencing devices, but these were not real hits. The problem Apple currently has is that the HomePod is too weak to run Apple Intelligence.
Reform proposal from states: ARD and ZDF should be “quantitatively limited”.Difference from “tabletop robot”
It is still unclear whether Apple’s planned “tabletop robot” with an automatically moving screen arm is a separate product or matches a “home accessory.” The two may even become separate product lines, with the first (technically simpler) “homeaccessory”. Apple is said to be planning a whole little department for home robotics, where devices could serve as alarm systems, for example – like Amazon’s own home robots, but on wheels.
The idea that Apple could give its HomePod a screen is an ancient idea. There was speculation about this since 2022. It has been repeatedly said that Apple could merge the iPad, Apple TV and HomePod into one device, which would definitely be suitable for smart home. But very little happened in practice. Apple initially discontinued HomePod and then later launched HomePod 2, which brings only moderate innovation.
(B.Sc.)
Shokz Openrun Pro 2 bone conduction headphones in test: lots of bass at the end
