Apple is developing new smart home products in an effort to grow its footprint in the smart home market, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.
The new products will range from a speedier Apple TV set top box to a smart display tablet that can control thermostats and lights, show video and handle FaceTime chats, and can be mounted on the wall, according to people familiar with the product plans, the report said. The expansion of Apple’s home lineup will help it compete in the smart home market currently dominated by Amazon and Google.
Apple also rolled out its new HomePod speaker on Wednesday, which retails for $299 and includes smart home features like temperature and humidity sensors and the ability to notify you if it hears a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm. The tech company also redesigned its Home app in the summer to support the popular smart home protocol Matter, which allows products from different brands to work together.
But Apple fans will have to wait awhile to try the company’s upcoming smart home products, as insiders told Bloomberg that the products would launch next year “at the earliest.”
Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
