Mark Gurman from Bloomberg said that Apple might be developing a new monitor which would work independently of Mac and act like a smart display when not in use.
As a more affordable alternative to the expensive Pro Display XDR monitor, Apple launched Studio Display in 2022. The 27-inch external monitor is powered by an A13 Bionic chip, a 5K Retina screen, a 12MP Ultra Wide camera with Center Stage, and more.
However, neither Pro Display XDR nor Studio Display work independently. Both screens need to be connected to a Mac to display information.
Apple could expand the StandBy feature in iOS 17 to a new Mac display
Earlier this year, Gurman reported that Apple was developing new smart displays to capture the smart home market which is dominated by Amazon and Google. Currently, Apple’s iPad models support smart home features but can not be used as a standalone smart screen.
In his latest Power On newsletter’s paid version, Gurman revised his prediction and said that a standalone Mac display might launch before a standalone iPad which will also work like a smart display.
Standalone smart displays like Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Nest Hub are very popular. With voice assistance support, the smart displays act like a hub to control smart devices and so much more. They show information like the weather, clock, reminders, and calendar, enable users to make or receive calls, watch videos, display photos carousel, widgets, and more.
Recently, Apple announced new StandBy in iOS 17 which will turn an iPhone into a smart display when not in use. The new feature will display a clock, widgets, and smart home controls in StandBy mode.
Maybe, the same tech will be expanded to the new Studio Display monitor with support for Siri to carry out tasks like showing the weather, reminders, searching the web, and more.
It is also reported that a new 27″ Studio Display Pro with mini-LED might launch this year.
