Apple Working on iPad-Like Display for Controlling Smart Homes, FaceTime Chats and More

[MacWiz_007]

They already have this...it's called iPad 🤣

 

[redheeler]

So innovative...

I have an old iMac in my kitchen already for a similar use case, although I don't have the thousands to blow to get all-in on smart home.

What I don't get is how a FaceTime is not going to be awkward when your camera is literally mounted on the wall...

 

[Takeo]

MyPad

 

[ds2000]

I agree… I mean they have held a position on iot devices for so long, while google and Amazon have had several generations of homegrown products to support their ecosystems, that I wonder why they would be showing any interest now!
These kind of devices are not all that special, they contain low end displays and speakers, limited functionality and narrow use cases, so it’s surprising it’s going to be 2024 before any product release. I appreciate thread and matter are recent, but there have to be some fresh ideas too.
The main current differences between brands is the quality of the voice assistant; having a HomePod and a long and tired experience of Siri as a controller, I worry about the lack of potential. Siri still holds Apple back.

Indeed, I’ve tried with Siri but Alexa is so so far ahead. The fire 8 cost me about 90 euros, if I were using it every day I’d describe it as hateful (as I type this on a beautiful iPad pro) but with the kiosk browser and the great automation sets that Home Assistant allows, not to mention the insane number of integrations already built, its hard to see how Apple enter this space. For me, I’d just get an old iPad, mount it and forget about it.

 

[bernstein]

The problem with using an iPad for a 'family' device is that it's tied to one user. Unless you lock it down, anyone can access your message, emails, etc. It would be nice if they had an iPad-like device that is multi-user. I guess I had always hoped they would update iPadOS to enable multiple users. They went another way and created a whole new piece of hardware instead.

iPadOS already supports multiuser-sharing, but apple restricts the feature for business ID's: https://support.apple.com/guide/deployment/shared-ipad-overview-dep9a34c2ba2/web

personally we solved the problem, by adding another virtual member to our family and manually signing in and out of apps / websites. it's a bit of a hassle but once you get the hang of it it adds very little friction. obviously there's the risk of forgetting to signout, but unless your family is dysfunctional that shouldn't be a problem.

 

[bernstein]

You mean… an iPad?

so much this. we already use our ipad pro 12" like this. i mean, it already has a magnetic mountpoint... but we'd really like a 16" version!

 

[Kobayagi]

New hardware? How about something like "HomePadOS" that can be installed on current and older iPads? A stripped down version of iOS that is fully optimised just for HomeKit, so that even on old iPads it can run fast and smooth.

Wow, that's a really good idea. Would make many iPads that got crippled by iOS updates super usable again.

Also, while we are on this subject: letting and almost forcing (by continuous nagging) users to upgrade to a newer OS when the device wont run it smoothy, is the ********* tactic ever. Of course not Apple does this, others do too, even app devs when their apps require a newer i(Pad)OS to even run the app. Making a device usable again with your idea would be good, even for the environment that Apple apparantly cares so much about. (while excluding chargers and cables in the box, just to sell it to you in another box with more plastic... /rant)

 

[CoachRocks]

Introducing iPad Home, and the new incredible iPad Home Plus.

 

[_Spinn_]

This sounds useful but this is pretty much an iPad.