Bloomberg reports that Apple is developing new smart displays and faster TV set-top box to capture a decent share of the smart home market which is currently dominated by Google and Amazon.
Standalone smart home devices designed as wall-mounted appliances have become increasingly popular like Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Nest Hub displays. Although Apple’s iPad offers smart home features, it is not commonly used as a standalone smart display.
Furthermore, the tech giant’s current Apple TV set-top box lineup has also made limited headway. Insider Intelligence survey of “Share of US households with connected TV (CTV) by devices” in February 2022, revealed that Apple TV held only 5% smart while Amazon Fire TV dominated with a 30% market share and Roku Inc. captured 28% market share.
Apple’s new smart home devices in 2024 to compete with Google and Amazon
According to the report, the Cupertino tech giant is now working on a low-end iPad which would be used more as a home gadget instead of a regular iPad to control lights and temperature, play videos, FaceTime chats, and more. It would also be equipped with magnetic fasteners so it can be mounted on walls and other surfaces.
The company is also deliberating on building larger smart-home displays.
In addition to the smart-home display, the tech company is also developing a new Apple TV set-top box with a faster processor. The company was also expected to launch a new TV box with a smart speaker and FaceTime camera this year but didn’t due to setbacks. However, the project is still ongoing.
Bloomberg speculates that the new smart home devices would position the Cupertino tech giant to compete with rival gadget by Google and Amazon.
The Cupertino, California-based technoloy giant has struggled in the home space and has ceded much of the market to its rivals. Its current devices remain limited in their functionality, with Apple’s Siri voice-control service lagging behind Amazon’s Alexa and the Google Assistant. The new devices — along with upcoming changes to Siri — are aimed at turning around Apple’s fortunes.
The report details that although the development schedules of the smart display have slipped, they are expected to launch in 2024.
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