> THE SHIFT
JOHN–ANTHONY DISOTTO thinks Apple needs to get its new smart home devices right, or its artificial intelligence (AI) approach to could be disastrous
RUMORS OF A NEW Apple smart home device, similar to Amazon’s Echo Show, have been rife for the last year or so now. While we wait patiently for Apple to release what would essentially be a HomePod with a screen, I thought I’d discuss the potential of such a product, and why it needs to be done right.
In September 2024, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said Apple was ready to take “another crack at the smart home market” by releasing two smart display products capable of running Siri and Apple Intelligence. The new devices have been in the pipeline for a while, with previous reports hinting at “a tabletop device code–named J595 that combines a robotic limb with a large, iPad–like display.” But Gurman says Apple is also working on a “low–end smart display” codenamed J490 aimed at using FaceTime and Apple Home control.