Apple Has Worked on Docking Accessory to Turn iPad Into a Smart Home Display

Apple has worked on a docking accessory for the iPad that would allow users to transform the device into a smart home display, similar to Google's approach with the Pixel Tablet, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

HomePod G4 Feature
Earlier this year, Google announced that it will offer a charging dock with a speaker that magnetically attaches to the back of the upcoming Pixel Tablet, essentially turning it into a smart home display like the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max.

Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that he expects Apple to bring similar functionality to the ‌iPad‌ next year with a docking accessory that will be sold separately, while the company works on a standalone product for the home that combines a display and a smart speaker:

I'm told Apple is working to bring similar functionality to the iPad as soon as 2023. I reported last year that Apple is exploring a stand-alone device that combines an iPad with a speaker hub. The idea is to offer something that users can place on a kitchen counter, in the living room or on their nightstand. But Apple also has worked on an iPad docking accessory that it could sell separately and would accomplish much of the same thing.

A docking accessory could allow the ‌iPad‌ to be used to control their smart home accessories more easily, make FaceTime calls using the ‌iPad‌'s front-facing camera with Center Stage, and more.

Compared to Google and Amazon, Apple has largely stayed out of the smart home market, releasing the HomePod mini in October 2020 before discontinuing the original HomePod in March 2021. A new, full-sized ‌HomePod‌ is one of several products Apple is expected to release in 2023. According to rumors, the new full-sized ‌HomePod‌ will keep the same design as the original smart speaker but feature faster performance and potentially a new display.

Related Roundup: HomePod
Buyer's Guide: HomePod (Buy Now)

Top Rated Comments

utazdevl Avatar
15 months ago
Is it just me, or does that look like the old iMac G4?
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
brofkand Avatar
15 months ago

Is it just me, or does that look like the old iMac G4?
It’s not just you, Ray Charles can see the resemblance. It’s just a photoshop job…not a photo of an actual product…
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DMG35 Avatar
15 months ago
Yes please.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Corsig Avatar
15 months ago
The stand will cost almost as much as the iPad
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Canyda Avatar
15 months ago
It would be great if they could make this work with existing models too. I would love to use my iPad Mini this way as a nightstand clock.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cSalmon Avatar
15 months ago
Until iOS lets the user lock out access to certain apps such as Mail, iCloud files, etc.. what good is an iPad left out for all to use? you can keep your mind out of the gutter everyone still has info and access they don't want others fiddling with, would you really want your 7 yr old sending out emails to your contact book?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.1.2 With Security Fixes

Thursday November 30, 2023 10:12 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2, small updates to the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 operating systems that Apple introduced in September. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 come a few weeks after the release of iOS 17.1.1, another bug fix update. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update....
iOS 17

28 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in December's iOS 17.2 Update

Friday December 1, 2023 2:57 am PST by
Apple made the first beta of iOS 17.2 available to developers in October. Since then we've seen three more betas, and with each iteration Apple continues to add more new features and changes, many of which users have been anticipating for quite a while. Below, we've listed 28 new things that are coming to your iPhone when the finalized version is publicly released this December. 1. Help...
apple card 1

Apple Ending Apple Card Partnership With Goldman Sachs

Tuesday November 28, 2023 3:09 pm PST by
Apple is ending its credit card partnership with Goldman Sachs, according to The Wall Street Journal. Apple plans to stop working with Goldman Sachs in the next 12 to 15 months, and it is not yet clear if Apple has established a new partnership for the Apple Card. Apple and Goldman Sachs will dissolve their entire consumer partnership, including the Apple Card and the Apple Savings account....
iOS 17

Everything New in iOS 17.2 Beta 4

Tuesday November 28, 2023 12:18 pm PST by
Apple is wrapping up development on iOS 17.2, with the update expected to come out in December. While we're getting to the end of the beta testing period, Apple is still tweaking features and adding new functionality. We've rounded up everything new in the fourth beta of iOS 17.2. Default Notification Sound Under Sounds & Haptics, there's a new "Default Alerts" section that allows you to ...
iPhone 16 Mock Header Updated 1

iPhone 16 to Include Action Button Across Entire Lineup

Thursday November 30, 2023 4:08 pm PST by
The release of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max saw the introduction of an entirely new user-configurable button known as the Action button, and now, MacRumors has seen extensive evidence confirming Apple is planning to include the Action button on the entire iPhone 16 range. Designs and plans for the Action button date back to at least 2021, as the button was intended for release alongside hapt...
anker new xmas

Anker's Cyber Week Sale Enters Final Days With Up to 60% Off Sitewide

Friday December 1, 2023 12:05 pm PST by
Anker's Black Friday/Cyber Week event is entering its final days this weekend, and it's still offering up to 60 percent off sitewide. There are also a few "mystery boxes" that can include hundreds of dollars in savings, if you're willing to risk not knowing what you're buying ahead of time. All of these sales will end on December 3. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you...
paramount plus logo

Apple and Paramount Considering Discounted TV+ Streaming Bundle

Friday December 1, 2023 4:40 am PST by
Apple and Paramount have discussed bundling their TV streaming services at a discount, according to a new report by The Wall Street Journal. The companies have talked about offering a combination of Paramount+ and Apple TV+ that would cost less than subscribing to both services separately, according to people familiar with the discussions. The discussions are in their early stages, and it is ...
General Apps Messages

Green Bubbles on iPhone to Gain These 7 New Features Next Year

Thursday November 30, 2023 9:00 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple announced that it will finally support RCS in the Messages app on the iPhone starting later next year. This change will result in several improvements to the messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices. RCS will become the new default standard for messaging between iPhones and Android devices, but these conversations will still have green bubbles like...