Apple's Upcoming Smart Home Accessory Could Feature 'Squarish' Display

[Someirishguy]

great but what are the 'ai' uses cases of homekit?

It’s about making Siri better on HomePod in general, not just for HomeKit tasks. Understanding queries better, whether it’s finding the music you’re actually looking for or checking you calendar, would be useful. For HomeKit specifically, a better Siri would allow for multiple simultaneous requests to be implemented accurately and so forth.

 

[Marco Klobas]

Hey Siri: do this and that.

I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.

 

[erihp]

It’s about making Siri better on HomePod in general, not just for HomeKit tasks. Understanding queries better, whether it’s finding the music you’re actually looking for or checking you calendar, would be useful. For HomeKit specifically, a better Siri would allow for multiple simultaneous requests to be implemented accurately and so forth.

should be able to do that without 'ai', frankly.

 

[svish]

Looking forward to seeing Apple's new product.

 

[RSB96]

They could dedicate themselves to improving Siri on the current HomePods (I have a mini and a second generation one). They could make it so that when you ask it to turn on the TV, it doesn't turn you off or turn on a light, for example.

But of course, they are not “powerful” to have the “new Siri”.

I have mixed feelings about Apple's home products. At the hardware level, they are exquisite, with great sound and great quality. But the software (Siri, basically), is garbage. And they're not going to improve that in the current models because “the new Siri” needs Apple Intelligence.

 

[Alameda]

Fantastic information “it may have a square display” !!!!!!!!

“It may have a round display.”

 

[Etienooo]

It feels more and more like this is a fake product Apple is using to find the snitches.

 

[doelcm82]

great but what are the 'ai' uses cases of homekit?

I don't know what Apple has planned, but if HomeKit is monitoring your cameras, it could send you an alert saying that a person wearing a UPS uniform left a package on your front porch.

I think there are a thousand little things that 'ai' (or even AI) could do to make someone's home run more smoothly. No single one is the killer use case you need to convince you.

Why do we need instant oatmeal? Oatmeal cooks in three minutes.

 

[Powerbooky]

As much as these mockups are tongue in cheek nod to the sunflower iMac...the design actually really makes sense. It is without a doubt a kitchen device, I'm just not sure where in the kitchen I would put it.

Well, the current HomePod mini is already perfect for the kitchen - I mounted it on the wall just below the cabinets.
Don't see the need for a screen unless you want to see who's at the door. But for that an iPad-like accessory mounted on the wall would suffice.

 

[John_san]

I, for one, see the benefits here.
Let me explain: I offered my 80yo mother an AppleTV and an old iPhone Pro Max 11 so we could do FaceTime together such that she could see her grandkids on her big TV with good audio output.

And the struggle is real. Connecting iPhone in camera mode with the AppleTV is proving difficult. I even struggle sometimes to get my iPhone to pair correctly with my own AppleTV.

The only reason I gave my mum an AppleTV + iPhone is because such device doesn’t exist…

 

[FelixDerKater]

Squarish with space for 4 cameras to display.

 

[Jason2000]

I just would have no use for this.

Then don't buy it.

 

[tollermee]

Lets not pretend this isn't a copy of an existing product. I bought the Pixel Tablet a year ago and its pretty good. I had planned to buy an iPad but felt that the inclusion of a speaker and dock made it better value for money. I only use it for watching streaming services and web browsing so didn't need the device to be tied into Apple's eco-system.

That said, if Apple had made the same product at the time I would have probably chosen it over the Pixel as I have no ties to the Android product suite.

 

[citysnaps]

should be able to do that without 'ai', frankly.

Apple AI will significantly produce more accurate/thoughtful responses from Siri, as well as queries made by other means (keyboards, for example).

That's a good thing.

 

[citysnaps]

Lets not pretend this isn't a copy of an existing product. I bought the Pixel Tablet a year ago and its pretty good. I had planned to buy an iPad but felt that the inclusion of a speaker and dock made it better value for money. I only use it for watching streaming services and web browsing so didn't need the device to be tied into Apple's eco-system.

That said, if Apple had made the same product at the time I would have probably chosen it over the Pixel as I have no ties to the Android product suite.

It will be significantly different. Starting with Apple AI doing the bulk of the work on the device. The way Apple implements this will be game-changing.

 

[MacFanatic713]

I don't have a Homepod. Right now, Alexa is controlling everything at home on my Echo 8 sitting in the kitchen. Which I love!!!! I have a smaller one in my bedroom. I would love a similar product to the Echo 8 but on Apple. I don't like the current homepods. If ipad could have this feature, I would replace my Echo 8. Just realized I'm an Apple sheep lol baaa baaa lol

 

[floydbot]

It can be centrally located and permanently plugged in?

But I can plug in my ipad and leave it in a central location.

 

[gonpostal]

I just want something to replace my garbage ad-riddled Echo Show 15.

I need it to:
1.) be under cabinet mountable.
2.) show my calendar/reminders/photos/grocery list at a glance.
3.) play my streaming app content on it.

I’d take an iPad with kiosk software, but that’s not exactly the same.

My echo show 15 just sits on the counter quietly. It can’t turn because it sits amongst everything else on the counter. It never gets interacted with except to turn on the backyard lights.

 

[Chungry]

Apple AI will significantly produce more accurate/thoughtful responses from Siri, as well as queries made by other means (keyboards, for example).

That's a good thing.

The beta isn’t doing that so far. But they are right, washing their hands of the obligation of making Siri work as is without AI is a huge let down and middle finger to loyal customers that have put up with Siri for over a decade. And Apple Intelligence doesn’t look to be moving the bar up on that front. It’s borderline criminal all the adverts coming out touting Apple Intelligence when it won’t be out in a meaningful way until next year earliest. MKBHD had a good take- the phone is unfinished. And buy it for what it can do now, not promises of future features that may or may not materialize. The touch bar comes to mind on that front.

 

[citysnaps]

The beta isn’t doing that so far. But they are right, washing their hands of the obligation of making Siri work as is without AI is a huge let down and middle finger to loyal customers that have put up with Siri for over a decade. And Apple Intelligence doesn’t look to be moving the bar up on that front. It’s borderline criminal all the adverts coming out touting Apple Intelligence when it won’t be out in a meaningful way until next year earliest. MKBHD had a good take- the phone is unfinished. And buy it for what it can do now, not promises of future features that may or may not materialize. The touch bar comes to mind on that front.

Ok, though I totally disagree with your assessment...

I get it. You're *extremely upset* with Apple giving you the middle finger. So you'll be voting with your wallet purchasing competitor products to send Apple a very strong message, and will no longer tolerate their middle finger, right?

 

[Chungry]

Ok, though I totally disagree with your assessment...

I get it. You're *extremely upset* with Apple giving you the middle finger. So you'll be voting with your wallet purchasing competitor products to send Apple a very strong message, and will no longer tolerate their middle finger, right?

Yes you nailed it. I’ve got a new battery in my 13 pro max for two more years. I’ve got 18.1 on some test devices at the office and it’s -not great-
I’ll be getting something Android-based as my next daily driver because our 16 pro is a pretty clear indicator Apple has lost the story here. The camera control button is fiddly and not at all usable. I quite agree with John Siracussa’s take actually .
I opted to build a custom rig for autocad, solidworks and games. So yes I voted with my wallet AND have dev devices so I can speak to the situation. Siri is still a mess sending you to the web for stuff it should know and it’s not able to parse things unless you’re super specific with, for example, the wording of an appointment. It’s a mess and I won’t even get into our fleet of AVPs. Apple is doing everything it can to push away loyal customers and devs.

 

[jo-1]

Loving the comments here! It's like "Deja Vu all over again" going back 23 years! (quote credit to Yogi Bera)

iPod: Who needs a thousand songs in your pocket? (a dig on Steve Jobs' iPod release presentation)
iPhone: Who asked for a non-mechanical keyboard? Flop!
iPad: It's just a big iPhone! Who needs it?
Watch: If I need to know the time, I'll just look at my iPhone!
AirPods: Miniature feminine hygiene products hanging out of your ears isn't a good look. Flop.

spot on!

thx for sharing - it looks like too many are in denial of everything. I wait until I have my own hands on stuff before I criticize it. After my own hands on experiences I may criticize things but before hand it is just hilarious.

 

[Smartass]

This product doesn’t make sense. Really curious how they’ll market this. Surely with a silly name and price.

iHome!

iWork iSleep iEat

It is funny though, how people's mouth is always full of "GOOGLE FB AND APPLE ALL HAVE OUR PRIVACY DATA! THEY KNOW EVERYTHING WE DO! WE MUST STOP THIS" and then continue and buy a stupid crap like this, and put it in the center of their home #StupidityParExcellence