Apple Planning to Offer iPad Smart Home Dock Before HomePod With a Screen
Apple has worked on a dock accessory designed for the iPad that would provide a way to transform the device into a smart home display, similar to Google's approach with the Pixel Tablet, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Earlier this year, Google announced that it will offer a charging dock for the upcoming Pixel Tablet that allows it to transform into a smart home display like the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max. The dock features an integrated speaker and magnetically attaches to the back of the Pixel Tablet. In a press release, Google described the dock for the Pixel Tablet as follows:
The dock keeps your device charged, makes your tablet helpful 24/7, and unlocks a whole new set of experiences in the home.
The enhanced audio from the speaker lets you enjoy your favorite show or have an impromptu dance party. When your Pixel Tablet is docked, you can enjoy hands-free help from the Assistant or a photo frame of your memories.
The Pixel Tablet also gives you easy control of all your smart home devices, so you can turn the lights off in the house, and set the thermostat to the perfect sleep temperature without getting out of bed.
Writing in his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that he thinks Apple will bring similar functionality to the iPad next year with a dock accessory that will be sold separately, serving as an interim solution 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 dock could allow the iPad to be used to control smart home accessories and make FaceTime calls using the iPad's front-facing camera with Center Stage in a more simplified way at home, effectively serving as an introduction to Apple's future smart home display and "HomePod with a screen" devices. Apple has been rumored to be working on a new operating system called "homeOS" for its future smart home devices, which could factor into the plans for an iPad dock designed around home usage.
With Apple's recent re-introduction of the full-size HomePod and a new HomePod mini apparently on the horizon for 2024, it seems like Apple's aspirations for the smart home are only getting started. Most recently, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple is planning to release a redesigned HomePod with a 7-inch display in the first half of 2024.
Popular Stories
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle.
Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines.
According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option.
Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
The company behind the BlackBerry-like Clicks Keyboard accessory for the iPhone today unveiled a new Android 16 smartphone called the Clicks Communicator.
The purpose-built device is designed to be used as a second phone alongside your iPhone, with the intended focus being communication over content consumption. It runs a custom Android launcher that offers a curated selection of messaging...
Apple's restrained artificial intelligence strategy may pay off in 2026 amid the arrival of a revamped Siri and concerns around the AI market "bubble" bursting, The Information argues.
The speculative report notes that Apple has taken a restrained approach with AI innovations compared with peers such as OpenAI, Google, and Meta, which are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in data...
Apple plans to introduce a 12.9-inch MacBook in spring 2026, according to TrendForce.
In a press release this week, the Taiwanese research firm said this MacBook will be aimed at the entry-level to mid-range market, with "competitive pricing."
TrendForce did not share any further details about this MacBook, but the information that it shared lines up with several rumors about a more...
The Apple Fitness+ Instagram account today teased that the service has "big plans" for 2026. In a video, several Apple Fitness+ trainers are shown holding up newspapers with headlines related to Apple Fitness+.
What's Apple Fitness+ Planning for the New Year?
Something Big is Coming to Apple Fitness+
The Countdown Begins. Apple Fitness+ 2026 is Almost Here
2026 Plans Still Under ...
Apple today announced a number of updates to Apple Fitness+ and activity with the Apple Watch.
The key announcements include:
New Year limited-edition award: Users can win the award by closing all three Activity Rings for seven days in a row in January.
"Quit Quitting" Strava challenge: Available in Strava throughout January, users who log 12 workouts anytime in the month will win an ...
Apple hasn't updated the Mac Pro since 2023, and according to recent rumors, there's no update coming in the near future. In fact, Apple might be finished with the Mac Pro.
Bloomberg recently said that the Mac Pro is "on the back burner" and has been "largely written off" by Apple. Apple apparently views the more compact Mac Studio as the ideal high-end pro-level desktop, and it has almost...
