I use HomeKit but I have no desire for this. Seems unnecessary except to show off.
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Apple Smart Home Display: Everything We Know
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I don't think Apple sets its prices things according to 3rd-party retailer sales pricing. It will likely be a better display than what's in the $329 iPad. I expect it'll be under $449 though, which I think is the iPad Apple considers the "standard". Probably be around $250-300 if I had to guess purely based on rumours and existing knowledge of their product lineups, but who knows? It'll depend on what this thing actually does, if it has any meaningful internal storage, if it's intended to be used on the go or just mounted and left on the wall, etc.
Easy to make a case for this as a cheaper iPad proxy. Maybe it's a bit early. It's not how it launches but where it's headed that matters. In the not so distant future this thing will probably become the brain of the Apple Smart Home. Sure, its functions can might be virtualized/appified but when you're dealing with a fixed location like a home it's best to have a dedicated hardware interface. I see this as Apple launching into the home-security/monitoring/smart space to compete with [Echo / Ring / SimpliSafe / Arlo / Etc.] Traditionally, Apple's profits have been more hardware centric. This opens up a market for Apple that, in addition, aligns with their more recent focus on a subscription revenue model. Who knows, maybe it will revive the obsolete home telephone. This could bundle and refocus a lot of existing Apple tech. There's certainly a lot of possibilities!
But can it be taken off the mount and carried with me wherever I go, or will I need to rely on my Apple Watch + Siri to activate my IoT-connected smart bidet? 🚽🤔
(Asking the real important questions here, considering how many MacRumors commenters type from their... thrones.)
I'm planning to just use an old iPad, either in Guided Access mode or in Single Application mode, logged into only the minimum amount of iCloud services as necessary, and have it running the Home app. It's not a great UI (whichever designer thought horizontal scrolling was a good idea here needs to rethink their profession) but it would do the trick to allow others in the house to control the lights and such without having to share home control.
That said, I've wanted some kind of home "control panel" for some time. I did manage to find a light switch with 4 buttons, one for the HomeKit-enabled hard switch for the circuit you're using, and the other 3 fully programmable on the HomeKit side (fixtures or scenes or whatever), but the whole shebang would be nice. Especially when the doorbell rings.
That said, I've wanted some kind of home "control panel" for some time. I did manage to find a light switch with 4 buttons, one for the HomeKit-enabled hard switch for the circuit you're using, and the other 3 fully programmable on the HomeKit side (fixtures or scenes or whatever), but the whole shebang would be nice. Especially when the doorbell rings.
You could already use an iPad this way with a wall mount, though not as convenient as you mention with an auto-launch app. (But that isn't the end of the world. I do have three iPads set up this way.)
But some of the key features of this, compared to the current iPad, would be that it would have Thread, which no iPad does, and presumable it would require AC power, as otherwise it would make a very poor Home Hub. Also, since it would be designed for wall mounting from the get-go, it would be less clunky than using a wall mount bracket.
The magnetic mount they mention could very well be a MagSafe mount. Ideally, they would create a MagSafe mount that could mount in-wall in some way so that there didn't need to be any visible cords or anything.
This was the main failing of the iPad-as-Home-Hub. It was unreliable as a hub, and eventually although I still use my wall iPads for controlling my Home, I turned off Hub capability because it wasn't as reliable as a HomePod or AppleTV. (And now, Apple disallows the iPad as a Hub anyway, presumably for the very same reason.)
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It it’s as describes then it’s already going off the rails. How many people would want to stand next to their wall during a FaceTime call? No thanks, I have my iPhone, ipad, and Mac that can do that from my couch.
If Apple was actually concerned about the environment they’d put out software to repurpose old iPads.
If Apple was actually concerned about the environment they’d put out software to repurpose old iPads.
Mainly, probably, because iPads don't have Thread. And there is no reason/use case for putting Thread in "regular" iPads, it would just be added cost.
I would happily pay for an iPad-like device which was fine tuned to be this, rather than an actual iPad cobbled together into being 'similar' to this.
Thread, MagSafe mount, AC powered by design, wall mountable by design without cludgy mounting brackets... Yes please!
You're gonna trust Apple with your bottom and possibly scalding hot water??
If it couldn't be used as a regular iPad, ie, AC power was required, I think they could sell it for cheaper because it wouldn't cannibalize iPad sales.
It wouldn't need to be "latest greatest" hardware to make an excellent Home Hub. (They do sell the Apple TVs relatively cheap.)
So I wouldn't be shocked (and would be ok with paying) say, $199.
I wish Apple would get back to "fun" designs like the original iBooks and iPods. They've gone too far towards conservative, industrial, utilitarian design. Read: boring.
Bring back fun, Apple!
Bring back fun, Apple!
You can.
This just brings added features, specific to its use case.
The iPad used to be able to be a Home Hub, but not any more, but in my experience (and based on online discussion, many people's experiences) it was a very unreliable Home Hub due to being battery powered. Even if it was always plugged in, it still would "sleep" in ways the HomePod and AppleTV don't.
But you can still use an iPad as a control point for your home. Just because it isn't a Home Hub doesn't mean it can't run the Home app and control your home.
The iPad Air 2 I have on my wall just has Home running on it 24/7, with guided access on it so my kids can't turn it off or navigate away from it.
As I've been reading this thread, I just learned about this Guided Access... I'll have to look into it. I also have three wall mounted iPads, and just run Home on them.
Granted, I'm the only one that uses them typically, so it isn't strictly necessary (and I do sometimes jump over to Settings or Safari for one reason or another...) but I'm always down for a more streamlined implementation.
That's one reason I'm rather optimistic about this announcement. If it makes a great Home Hub, without the compromises of using an iPad, I'm all in.
This is typical Apple: great hardware, terrible, buggy AF software.
They could solve the home hub problem with a complete rewrite of the Home software, done properly this time.
They could solve the home hub problem with a complete rewrite of the Home software, done properly this time.
Correction * It’s going to use Siri which doesn’t work and everyone will complain.
Save this for reference.
”to make control even easier”. Hahahahahaha…..
It was back in 1979, I think, that I laughed so much.
I worked for almost 35 years as a human-computer interaction specialist. Never seen anything like the Home app. Its user interface is a Nightmare. It’s a disgrace for any company to release such an abomination.
Good luck….and thanks for the laugh.
It was back in 1979, I think, that I laughed so much.
I worked for almost 35 years as a human-computer interaction specialist. Never seen anything like the Home app. Its user interface is a Nightmare. It’s a disgrace for any company to release such an abomination.
Good luck….and thanks for the laugh.
You want Apple to be eco-conscious and allow you to repurpose your existing iPad. Apple just wants to sell you another device.
Good thing I'm all set with my 2013 iMac as my smart home display. Now all I need is a smart home.