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 (Neutral)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Battery Capacity and Weight Allegedly Revealed

Monday May 19, 2025 2:22 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air later this year, and while there have been plenty of rumors about the camera's overall design and thinness, we haven't heard any details about the device's weight and battery capacity until now. According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air has a weight ...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
WWDC 2025 Banner

Apple Announces WWDC 2025 Schedule, Including Keynote Time

Tuesday May 20, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced a more detailed schedule for its annual developers conference WWDC, which runs from June 9 through June 13. The schedule confirms that Apple's keynote will begin on Monday, June 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with a live stream to be available on Apple.com, in the Apple TV app, and on YouTube. During the keynote, Apple is expected to announce iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16,...
Apple Glass

Apple Smart Glasses: Everything We Know So Far

Wednesday May 21, 2025 8:21 am PDT by
Google made waves yesterday by showcasing a set of lightweight smart glasses featuring deep Gemini integration and an optional in-lens display. The demo has reignited interest in Apple's own smart glasses project, which has been the subject of rumors for nearly a decade. Here's a recap of where things stand. Current Development Status Apple is actively working on new chips specifically...
macOS 16 visionOS Inspired Feature 1

macOS 16: Everything We Know So Far

Tuesday May 20, 2025 7:31 am PDT by
The Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple's annual developer and software-oriented event, is less than three weeks away. We haven't heard a great deal about macOS 16 ahead of its announcement this year, so we could be in for some major surprises when June 9 rolls around. Here's what we know so far about the next major update to Apple's Mac operating system. macOS 16 Name? Every year ...
Apple Intelligence General Feature

Report: Apple's Next-Gen Version of Siri Is 'On Par' With ChatGPT

Monday May 19, 2025 9:00 am PDT by
Apple has big plans to improve Siri over the next few years, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett report. Some Apple executives are now reportedly pushing to turn Siri into a true ChatGPT competitor. A next-generation, chatbot version of Siri has reportedly made significant progress during testing over the past six months; some executives allegedly now see it as "on par" with recent...

Top Rated Comments

utazdevl Avatar
34 months ago
Is it just me, or does that look like the old iMac G4?
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
brofkand Avatar
34 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
34 months ago
Yes please.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Corsig Avatar
34 months ago
The stand will cost almost as much as the iPad
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Canyda Avatar
34 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
34 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)