In brief: Apple is reportedly revisiting a product idea from more than a decade ago that never made it to market. There's no guarantee it'll materialize this time around, either, and its likelihood of entering production hinges on the success of Apple's next big home automation push.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is working on a smart home command center that could take its home automation ambitions to the next level. The hub, designed to be mounted on a wall or propped up on a table, desk, or nightstand, is said to resemble a low-end iPad with a roughly 6-inch display, speakers, and a FaceTime camera for video chat.
Offered in black or white with an integrated battery, the screen would serve as the centerpiece of Apple's revised home automation efforts. Gurman said it'll feature a fluid interface that changes depending on how far a user is from the panel, and could also be used as an in-home intercom system.
Should the hub prove successful, it could spark several other new products. Notably, Gurman said Apple is evaluating the possibility of bringing an Apple-branded TV set to market.
If you recall, the iTV was one of the hottest and longest running rumors of the early 2010s. Many at the time believed Apple was working on a branded television set that would revolutionize the living room. Despite Steve Jobs himself proclaiming that Apple had "finally cracked it," the fabled iTV never materialized – at least, not as a product available to consumers.
The living room still remains a priority for Apple. The company continues to offer its Apple TV set top box, and the Apple TV+ streaming service launched in 2019 has roughly 25 million subscribers based on recent estimates.
If Apple were to move forward with a branded television set, they'd face many of the same challenges that presented themselves more than a decade ago. Televisions are a low margin product, and turnover isn't nowhere near what Apple is used to with say, its smartphone business. Innovative enough features could help break the mold but that's easier said than done.
Apple is reconsidering the TV market again after years of silence
