I like your idea of dockable iPads. Apple could also market it as a standalone base for your fancy new iPhold later this year.
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Apple's Upcoming Home Hub Could Include 'Robotic Swiveling Base'
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Michael Scrip
macrumors G3
We had that. I grew up in a house with a home computer. You went into the "computer room" to use the computer.
Today things are a lot different. We have computers in our pockets that you can use anywhere. And laptops and iPads can be taken around the house, too.
I understand the general idea of having a "home hub" in your house... but then I remember that we already have phones, tablets, and laptops that can do all this stuff and more. And you can use them anywhere.
So I'm not seeing the value in an iPad-like device that is stuck in one room of the house.
kalsta
macrumors 68000
Okay. I guess I can picture something like this if it were attached to the wall near the entrance or something—or maybe there were multiple sprinkled throughout the house and talking with each other—and they were super CHEAP. (Ha ha, I know, this is Apple we’re talking about here!)
Still not entirely sure why this would be a better solution to just having the same features on your iPhone or iPad—but I confess, I’m pretty ignorant when it comes to smart home stuff. Not interested in complicating what works for me already—pressing an actual light switch with my finger.
That is quite true. I can operate lights, garage door, door locks, HVAC, and even make announcements through home speakers, all from my phone, even while away from home. Heck, I can even operate the Traeger and monitor a smoke out remotely.
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maruyama
macrumors regular
Yeah. I want a simple, always on hub that lets me control my HomeKit stuff without having to go grab and unlock an iPad or iPhone, but I don’t need some kind of high-end motorized FaceTime portal and whatever else this is supposed to be. I really hope there is a basic version.
Are you sure? I see lots of good uses for AI. For example, I am so tired of getting a notice from my doorbell camera saying "Motion detected at your front door". I would MUCH rather have it say "A large box was dropped on your porch" or even "A cat walked across your front lawn". Motion detection is dumb. An AI could identify what it sees and decide if I would like to know about it.
What’s next? Robot vacuum cleaners? Alarm clocks? Home appliances? Apple has become the Philips of our time.
The best automation does not need to be controlled from a phone. The automation would see that it is you who just walked into the kitchens and know that you prefer the lights to be brighter but with a warmer color temperature and just do it.
But you are right, you should rarely need to interact with an iPod-like wall display.
Mac Fly (film)
macrumors 68040
This is different. It’s a modern kitchen appliance that doesn’t require taking out your phone or going getting your device. Those modern device you mention already exist. Honestly, this type of product isn’t for my lifestyle personally, but I’ve seen enough Echos and Echo Shows and Google thingies in kitchens and living rooms now to know for sure this kind of modern appliance thingy is a real market. We can live in denial about it, but people do buy these things and use them. That’s reality. Apple added HomePod and the mini to participate in that market segment and this one with the screen will be the screen version of that thing. They will offer wall mounted options and may even include thermostat software for this potential use case too for those setups. We will have to wait to see what they offer, but the AI assistant appliance with and without screen both look like they are here to stay for many consumers.
Mac Fly (film)
macrumors 68040
I’ve no big interest in smart home stuff personally, but in the years to come the average new home will have all the things in all likelihood sold to buyers as more modern conveniences. Homes will be getting software updates like cars.
One cool feature that’s coming in Ki “key” from the WPC. Wireless power through your countertop up to I think 2.5Kw, enabling many modern kitchen appliances to come without any wires for power. All is missing in the current version is magnets for positioning.
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amaze1499
macrumors 68000
My personal home hub: A chair, a book, cup of [whatever] and friends popping around for real conversations about technology and how we are not different from people 500 years ago.
The home hub device that Apple plans to release as soon as this spring has a "robotic swiveling base," according to The Information's Wayne Ma. Ma mentioned the new detail in a piece outlining Apple's work on an AI pin.
We've heard a lot of rumors about the home hub because it was supposed to launch in 2025, but to date, no rumors have suggested that it will have a swiveling robotic base. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously said that Apple is developing two versions of the hub, one that's meant to be mounted on the wall and another that has a HomePod mini-like speaker base that can be placed on a desktop or countertop.
No prior descriptions of the home hub base have suggested that it will have any kind of swivel function or that it will be robotic. In fact, the wording sounds similar to how Gurman has described Apple's tabletop robot, which will be a 2027 follow up to the home hub.
Gurman said the tabletop robot will have an iPad-like display mounted on a thin robotic arm that allows the display to tilt up and down and rotate 360 degrees. The device will be able to reposition itself to face whoever is speaking, and it is said to have a "visual personality."
Ma did not go into detail on the purpose of the robotic swiveling base, or how it will work, but presumably it would be able to move to face people. The home hub is supposed to have an array of sensors that let it determine when someone is in the room.
We are expecting the home hub to launch in the coming months, right around the time that Apple debuts iOS 26.4 with the upgraded version of Siri.
Article Link: Apple's Upcoming Home Hub Could Include 'Robotic Swiveling Base'
zantafio
macrumors regular
but it will take out the misery of having to touch a light switch
Michael Scrip
macrumors G3
Problem: You're always on your device.
Solution: You buy an additional device but now it's chained to the kitchen counter.
😊
There was someone in this thread mentioning an iPad dock. That would be a good way to recycle older iPads and keep them in use. We hate e-waste, right?
A five year old iPad is probably more powerful than a current Echo Show or whatever. You don't need cutting edge hardware to do... hmmm... what are these things supposed to do?
The best thing about Echos is the price. And yes... people do buy them. Because they're cheap.
But the cheapest iPad is $350... then add a speaker... and a robot arm?!?!?
This thing could be $500 or $600 and you'll only use it standing up in your kitchen.
I'm still skeptical.
🤣
I have two iPads (13" and Mini) and I use them so I wouldn't want to leave one always connected to the hub, nor would I want to have go grab one of them to use with the hub. If a display is core to the hub's functionality then I think it should come with a display and it should always be attached. Not to mention not everyone has an iPad, so imagine being told you have to buy two devices.
It's kind of the same thing with people wanting a headless MacBook to attach their iPad to. It sounds like a good idea at first and it might save some money (probably the main motivation), but in real usage I think the UX would be disjointed and cumbersome.
That said, I don't really see a need for a home hub device myself. I'm pretty good with my screen-less HomePods and my iPads as is. But we'll see if Apple has something clever to offer.
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Astuces iOS
macrumors 68020
Damn it's just an iPad attached to a sort of HomePod... Smart people will buy an iPad and a HomePod !
okieoutwest
macrumors regular
Just like you can buy Reese’s Oreos and other innovative mashups Apple is bringing us iPads on HomePods on Roombas. We can only hope it will come in every size and color SKU. iPad mini on HomePod mini. iPad Pro on HomePod. Etc.
CATiNTHESTORE
Suspended
Powerbooky
macrumors demi-god
If there's a need for a local AI/ML, this could be done in a small box too. Actually, the AI/ML tasks it could even be spread out over multiple (new) devices including iPhones, iPads, AppleTV's, making it somewhat redundant (if one is turned off or outside the house).
But in terms of reducing the e-waste, and I've said it earlier, older iPad's could easily be used as a Home-hub / panel too. I just don't see the benefit of some "robotic" speaker/screen iMac-G4-like hub. Seems more like a waste of space.
What Apple could do is make a "home server", a device for local AI/ML, Homekit hub, NAS, iCloud services cache or possibly a full local-only iCloud?
But in terms of reducing the e-waste, and I've said it earlier, older iPad's could easily be used as a Home-hub / panel too. I just don't see the benefit of some "robotic" speaker/screen iMac-G4-like hub. Seems more like a waste of space.
What Apple could do is make a "home server", a device for local AI/ML, Homekit hub, NAS, iCloud services cache or possibly a full local-only iCloud?
kalsta
macrumors 68000
I don’t like the way cars are going either—would never buy a car that phones home to tell the company where and how I’m driving. Not an issue with my rusty old ute. 😄
Interesting. I can see why that might be useful—avoiding that network of tangled cords one has to keep from touching anything hot. Overall though, I like to keep things simple and repairable.