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Apple Is Reportedly Working on a Mac Monitor That Becomes a Smart Home Display When Idle
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The few people who have a headless mac or a second monitor on their laptop probably wouldn’t find it that convenient as it wouldn’t be positioned in an ideal place to interact with.
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.
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."
Article Link: Apple Is Reportedly Working on a Mac Monitor That Becomes a Smart Home Display When Idle
Seems a bit weird that a Samsung TV has @TV functionality yet a Studio Display doesn’t… If the display is networked and has a chip shouldn’t there be a bit of @TV convergence? Even if only to show my photo library as a screen saver when there are no devices attached.
I do.., and as I move away from iMacs I will always have a monitor in my main living space.
I have old iMacs which are slowly being replaced as new Studio Displays are released.., for my family new displays will take the place of the old iMacs and personal devices will drive them when screen real estate is desired. We’ll see what AR/VR do to that program, however I suspect my first generation studio display will be around for quite some time before it is retired.
I’d use the old iMacs as external monitors for my laptop if it was easier. Plugging into an older monitor is less abrasive than trying to perform simple tasks in obsolete operating systems. I’m hoping older monitors won’t pose the same security risks an old iMac on Snow Leopard likely does.
I need a smart house display somewhere other then where my computer is and it’s way to huge. Useless
What would be nice is a screen that doesn’t cost as much as an iMac. I’m still waiting for a product that is less pro and more consumer oriented price wise. 28 inch or 30 inch 5k wouldn’t hurt. I’m sure they can do it cheaper than the pro displays and many people will buy. Or just make a new 30 inch iMac or something.
It's not currently networked. No Ethernet, no Wi-Fi, no Bluetooth.
They could maybe rework one of the USB-C ports to be used for Ethernet, but that adds complexity with little gain. They certainly can't add Wi-Fi after the fact.
Apple not having a Wi-Fi chip in this thing to begin with is so apple being apple and screwing first gen buyers when they inevitably release a better model next year
I have Ethernet plugged into mine.., pass through or not it isn’t such a massive stretch for, “future” devices.
Yeah, but that goes to your Mac.
It isn’t. But at that point, might as well add Wi-Fi.
Maybe the Mac it is plugged into can share its internet connection to the studio display when it goes to sleep? Could be a bit complex but I don’t see why it would be impossible. Not a perfect solution in the case of laptops, but better than nothing.
It connects the Mac to the router.
This rumor would change it so that it would connect the display.
I'm saying they could probably already do that through a firmware change, but it would only help for Ethernet, so I'm guessing they won't bother.
The Mac could share Wi-Fi though. That’s backwards but why not? Sounds about as possible as doing a man in the middle thing with Ethernet.
It could, but I think that setup is far too awkward for Apple. They might quietly add it, but they sure aren't going to do an Apple Event where they proudly tell you "and now, you can use your Apple Studio Display as a smart display! Just buy a Mac, connect it to that, make sure it doesn't go to sleep, …".
No reason the M series macs couldn't do it while they're asleep. An iPhone can communicate with an Apple Watch and receive internet notifications via wifi while it's asleep... Wake for network access is enabled by default if a laptop mac is plugged into a power adapter on the M series as well. However, I would imagine this being optional for power draw considerations.
Doesn't seem any more awkward to me than the continuity camera setup they've pushed two years in a row. Clipping your phone to a TV looks downright goofy. Plus, the use case they show the most is connected to a desktop Mac, despite that of course not being everyone's setup. Could show it that way and have it be elaborated on for laptops in some support document.
All correct in theory. My point was that if I already have a dedicated hard line into my display I wouldn’t need to have my laptop connected for the display to act as a networked smart display. In general I suppose this rumour would point to a smart display which has a limited feature set while it waits for a personal device like a laptop or iPad to take control for classic secondary display use cases.