Apple hasn’t given up on its Apple TV streaming device. And it still has ambitions of competing with Amazon and Google in the area of smart home.
That’s the takeaway from a Bloomberg report, which details early product development of two gadgets that would integrate the functionality of the Cupertino, Calif. tech giant’s HomePod smart speaker with devices like Apple TV and iPad.
One product iteration would combine the Apple TV streaming device HomePod speaker, similar to how Roku integrates its Ultra OTT streaming device with sound bar. The Apple device, however, would also feature a camera for video calls.
Another gadget would combine a smart display with a HomePod speaker, delivering functionality similar to Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Nest Hub.
The products would ostensibly help Apple gain a foothold on device categories it’s currently lagging in.
According to Strategy Analytics data, the Apple TV controlled only 2% of the TV streaming market in 2020. HomePod, which was discontinued last year in favor of the cheaper HomePod Mini, owned less than 10% of the smart speaker market throughout its lifespan.
Apple hasn’t introduced a new iteration of Apple TV since the arrival of the Apple TV 4K in 2017, which continues to carry a hefty $179 MSRP.
