Apple Retail Stores Preparing for New Home Product Launches

[Sheepish-Lord]

Seems like the ship has sailed and anyone who wanted smart home stuff has moved on.

I would argue most folks are using less smart home features albeit those questionable people who have cameras inside the house pointed at kitchens and living rooms…

 

[Happy_John]

“All new” is a MacRumors-ism, they frequently use it for hyperbole. Gurman doesn’t, he wrote “a new operating system and interface that customers will need to understand”.

Yeah, I was trying to be nice to the MR writers, for once.

I’ll stick by my point that “all new” and “based on” are contradictory when talking about an OS, or any tech. If something derives from an earlier product, it can be “new”, but not “all new”

It’s a case of marketing speak tripping over itself.

 

[Minato1990]

If Apple actually gave a toss about the environment, they would let people install the HomePad OS on older iPads - likely M1 plus for Siri AI support and perhaps even sell a wall or table mount for them. Would be a good use for older devices to prevent them going for scrap for a few more years.

Cmon now you can recycle your old devices for free at Apple 🤣

 

[DocMultimedia]

I’ll believe when I see. The multi year delays on a simple ATV have soured me on expecting anything.

 

[InVinoVeritasty]

Elon works on a home robot. Apple is working on another screen. Steve Jobs would not approve.

 

[Cape Dave]

Prepare to see nobody at store too because no one will pay for overpriced products ! (Or will they 🤨)

I think the fact that they are a 4 to 5 TRILLION dollar company kind of answers that question, right?

 

[Corefile]

I don't want one of these devices.

 

[hokuspokus]

I hope Apple comes out with an outdoor 4K security camera soon.

 

[cawgijoe]

What does the home pad actually do? Do we know yet?

 

[MontgomeryG]

am I the only person who has no idea why I'd want this? My phone does all of this already. I don't get it.

 

[antnythr]

What does the home pad actually do? Do we know yet?

FaceTime with grandma

 

[TruthAboveAllElse]

So is it “an all new OS” or is it “based on tvOS”?

Realistically, it’s just another fork of iOS, but it would be great if Gurman could stop flip-flopping on the semantics.

It is all new. And it’s based on the others. I don’t see why that’s confusing. Mac OS X was all new, and based on next step. I was all new, and based on dear mother and father.

 

[Diopter]

Very excited about this one. Lots of potential here, and in Apple Home in general. And if they can just nail basic, dependable Siri AI integration they'll have a home run.

That’s what I’m worried about: in my testing so far, Siri AI has been far worse for the kinds of tasks that this hub would focus on, like turning lights on and off, setting reminders and so on.

It’s slower and less reliable for these tasks than the old Siri and no one seems to be talking about this issue?

Trying to get Siri AI to just play a music track from your library works about one in five times for me!

 

[flottenheimer]

… but, is there any chance that a ‘HomePod with screen’ will be able to display all our family photos stored on Google Photos rather than iCloud? (Not too optimistic)

 

[blumpy]

I can't help but feel like this is an apple product where I'm desperately going to look for any reason to buy it but will be unable to find it.

 

[Antilogical]

What does the home pad actually do? Do we know yet?

Pad Apple's bottom line.

 

[Lunarman25]

Siri still needs to improve before these ship. It’s slow at the moment

 

[HiFifreak]

"Mark Gurman reports" Wow! Is his glass bowl working again? This is, I believe the third time he "predicted" this 🙂

 

[MRrainer]

What is the purpose of this product?

 

[Sir Ruben]

I have an advanced smart home so I really like the sound of the Apple home hub device. However if it can't break out of the restrictive Apple Home ecosystem then its useless to me.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Elon works on a home robot. Apple is working on another screen. Steve Jobs would not approve.

I mean… whatever Apple’s doing will at least actually ship eventually.

 

[Mr_Ed]

What is the purpose of this product?

According to rumors so far, its purpose appears to be doing a number of things you can already do with your mobile devices (iPhone, iPad, laptop) but on a static device you park in a specific place in your home.

 

[wanha]

How many times has he regurgitated a version of this? I’ll believe it when I see it.

It's like insisting the time is 3pm regardless of the actual time. Do it enough times and eventually you'll be right.

 

[Happy_John]

According to rumors so far, its purpose appears to be doing a number of things you can already do with your mobile devices (iPhone, iPad, laptop) but on a static device you park in a specific place in your home.

That, and it will probably be a HomeKit hub handling Thread - so it's a back end and a front end, whereas an iPhone, iPad or laptop is only the front end.

 

[clg82]

Very excited about this one. Lots of potential here, and in Apple Home in general. And if they can just nail basic, dependable Siri AI integration they'll have a home run.

I'm guessing you've never used the "home" app lolllllll