In secret, Apple is working on a special accessory for the iPad. It is a combination of a stand and a speaker, which you attach magnetically to the back of the iPad.
Smart Stand for iPad
The rumor is reported by reliable Apple insider Mark Gurman. In his weekly newsletter, he writes that Apple has developed prototypes of an iPad docking accessory.
The stand doubles as a smart speaker and is said to be very similar to Google’s recently released Charging Speaker Dock (seen in the video below), an accessory for the latest Pixel tablet. It turns the tablet into a kind of Nest Hub Max.
It is reported that Apple also wants to come up with such a smart display, but it could take years to bring a completely new product to the market. In that regard, the smart standard would be a way to ‘make some noise in the smart-home industry’, says Gurman. The accessory could be introduced as early as 2023.
smart display
It was previously known that Apple wants to combine an iPad with a smart speaker. You can use this device for your smart home, where the built-in virtual voice assistant Siri plays a central role. The device also has a camera, so you can also use the smart screen for FaceTime calls.
With the devices, Apple is looking closely at competitor Amazon, which already offers successful home accessories with the Echo series. Apple is still far behind in this product category. The Apple TV and HomePod can be used as a smart home hub, but are not successful.
Also read: Your iPhone will soon support smart home standard Matter (and this is what you get)