Apple Is Reportedly Working on a Mac Monitor That Becomes a Smart Home Display When Idle

Monday July 3, 2023 4:44 am PDT by Tim Hardwick

Apple is working on a new external monitor for Macs that also functions as a kind of smart home display while not in use, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman.

apple studio display blue
Writing in the subscriber version of his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says that Apple is developing multiple new monitor offerings, some of which are likely to be successors to its Studio Display and Pro Display XDR, and one that could have smart standby features powered by an onboard iOS chip.

If Gurman's claim is accurate, it would not be the first time Apple silicon has been used in an external display. Apple already includes a dedicated A13 chip in its existing 27-inch Studio Display, but its functionality is limited to handling camera and speaker features like Center Stage and spatial audio when the display is in use.

Using an iOS device chip to power independent smart features when a monitor is idle would be an evolutionary next step, and could possibly rely on an expanded version the new Standby feature in iOS 17, which turns a charging iPhone in horizontal orientation into a home hub with full-screen widgets. As for when we could see the smart monitor, Gurman says not to expect a release until 2024 "at the earliest."

Tags: Bloomberg, Mark Gurman

Top Rated Comments

mystery hill

12 weeks ago

They should consider adding this to the current Studio display. It already has a full computer in it anyways.

Then how would they sell you a new monitor?

Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)

MakeAppleAwesomeAgain

This can be just a software update for the current 27", right? It's got a A13 chip.

Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)

joecomo

strange feature - few people have a Mac Display standing around in their living room.
Some however have wall mounted iPads ...

Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)

AppleTO

Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)

fwmireault

I don’t get why such feature can’t be implemented through a macOS software update, except if Apple wants this monitor to have a touch display

Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)

senttoschool

This product makes no sense to me.

A computer monitor sits on a desk, probably in someone's home office. Not attached to the wall in the living room. And why would you waste electricity leaving it on for some smart home function?

Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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