Apple recently announced a new HomePod with support for Matter, but it seems the company might have bigger smart home plans for the rest of 2023. According to the latest report from Bloomberg, Apple is allegedly working on an iPad-like device that could directly compete with Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Nest Hub Max.
Details on the rumored product are scarce, but it seems the device would feature a touchscreen and function similar to an iPad. Magnets would allow it to be mounted to a wall, and HomeKit would give it access to all your smart home products. It’s unclear at this time if the device would feature a stand, allowing it to sit on your countertops like the Echo Show and Nest Hub. What is clear, however, is that Apple wants to gain a stronger foothold in the smart home market -- and this could serve as a great alternative to using the HomePod Mini as a HomeKit hub.
iDevices may sound like an Apple product, but this connected home brand is pretty agnostic when it comes to its platforms. On Tuesday, the product company announced that its Connected Home line is now compatible with Google Assistant, making it one of the first and few brands to work with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant. So no matter what company you choose to run your smart home, chances are, you can add something from iDevices.
iDevices boasts a wide range of products, most recently debuting a number of in-wall options like their new Wall Switch, Dimmer Switch, and Wall Outlet. The company hopes to create smart home products that “integrate seamlessly and invisibly into users’ worlds,” and can all be operated sans a smart home hub. That said, if you do want to control your devices from a central place, you have plenty of options to choose from.
“The smart home ecosystem continues to evolve, and we are evolving with it,” said Chris Allen, iDevices’ CEO. “Our unique software architecture allows us to expand compatibility easily and quickly, so we continue to offer a comprehensive smart home solution to consumers. When people think ‘smart home’, words like ‘simple’, ‘easy-to- use’ and ‘helpful’ should come to mind. We’ve made it easier than ever to adopt the smart home, no matter what kind of system you prefer to use.”
Google Assistant is also now compatible with a few other device makers, including Nubryte and Universal Devices. Nubryte is known best for its Touchpoint, a smart touchscreen that is meant to do away with light switches. Users can not only control their lighting, but also see surveillance video, chat via intercom, and keep up with weather and calendar information by way of the device. Universal Devices also dabbles in lighting control, making it a prime candidate for Google Home Assistant integration.