Apple has officially announced a new product event taking place on Tuesday, October 13. On X hints Apple CEO Greg Joswiak with the text ‘Welcome Home’, which suggests that the focus will be on Smart Home. We expect Apple to announce the long-awaited Smart Home Hub, but also a new Apple TV 4K and the HomePod mini 2.
It will not be a traditional Apple event with a livestream, but rather a product launch with press releases and videos. In addition, Apple has invited a select group of journalists and creators to a special ‘Apple Experience’ in New York’s Tribeca district at 9:00 AM local time (3:00 PM Dutch time), where they can try out the latest hardware first-hand.
Welcome Home: What to Expect
During the product event we can mainly expect products that are suitable for the smart home. For example, the long-awaited new Apple TV and HomePod mini 2 are expected. A brand new Smart Home Hub product similar to the Amazon Echo Show and Google Nest Hub is also expected.
Smart Home Hub
The most important announcement will undoubtedly be the newest member of the Apple family: the Smart Home Hub. This device looks like a combination of an iPad and a HomePod.
- Screen and design: The device will reportedly have a 6-inch square screen. There will be two variants: a model that you can mount on the wall, and a desk variant with a semi-circular speaker base that is strongly reminiscent of the iconic design of the iMac G4.
- Controls and Siri AI: Voice control via Siri AI forms the basis of operation. You use the screen for HomeKit control, FaceTime calls, watching videos, the weather and news reports, and your calendar overview, among other things.
- Personal recognition: Thanks to a built-in camera and presence sensor, the hub knows who is in the room and the interface automatically adapts with personal widgets and apps per user.
The price of Apple’s Smart Home Display is not yet known; there are rumors of a target price of $350, which in euros could amount to €399 or more. It is still unclear whether this includes the speaker.
New generation Apple TV 4K
For years, the Apple TV has been the center of Apple’s ecosystem and there is therefore a good chance that next Tuesday the media player will be updated to better match the latest technologies:
- Performance: Under the hood we find a powerful A19 or A19 Pro chip, combined with additional RAM (RAM) for faster performance and extensive AI functionalities; such as Siri AI
- Connection & control: Just like recent generations of Apple products, the Apple TV 4K gets the N1 chip for WiFi 7, Bluetooth 6.0 and thread support.
- Finally, a new Siri Remote may be included
Renewed HomePod mini
The compact speaker is being updated for the first time. Don’t expect any major changes, just minor updates regarding performance and new colors.
- New chips: A faster S-series processor that powerfully supports Siri AI, as well as Apple’s new N1 networking chip for faster and more stable Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0 connections.
- Appearance: Apple is also expected to introduce a range of fresh new colours. The new colors were already leaked earlier.
Possible surprise: OLED iPad mini (and the new Macs?)
Although the event is mainly focused on ‘home’, there are rumors about a new iPad mini. This compact tablet would be more water resistant, run on a faster processor and have the very first OLED screen in the mini series.
As for the expected new Mac models, they are likely scheduled for later this year, but will be rolled out at a later date or via separate press releases.
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Category: News, Reference works Developer: Richard Ijzermans 4+ 15MBDOWNLOAD FOR FREE |
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