AI-powered wall tablet to boost Apple’s smart home role
Apple’s new AI wall tablet aims to boost its role in the smart home market.
Apple is preparing to enter the smart home market with a new AI-enabled wall tablet, expected to be launched by March 2025. The device, reportedly code-named J490, will integrate features like AI capabilities, Siri voice controls, and video conferencing through FaceTime, positioning itself as a central hub for home management.
The tablet is designed to compete with Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Nest Hub, offering similar functionality with a sleek 6-inch screen, available in silver and black. Its interface will blend elements from the Apple Watch and iPhone’s StandBy mode, optimised for voice interaction. The device will enable control over home appliances, provide access to Apple’s apps, and allow photo slideshows, notes, and calendar displays.
Apple is also developing a high-end version with robotic screen movement, which could be priced up to $1,000. The standard model is expected to align more closely with competitor prices, such as the Echo Show 8 and Google’s Nest Hub Max. The tablet will feature a new operating system, ‘Pebble’, which adjusts its interface based on user proximity, while security options will include camera alerts and intercom functions.
Meanwhile, Apple recently established Apple Operations India to boost research and development efforts in the region. The new subsidiary will focus on expanding the company’s hardware engineering capabilities by acquiring equipment, hiring local talent, and providing hardware analysis support.
