(Reuters) – Apple plans to launch a wall-mounted display that can control devices, handle video conferencing and use artificial intelligence to navigate apps, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people aware of the effort.
The product, codenamed J490, could be announced as early as March, the report said, adding that it will showcase its new AI platform, Apple Intelligence.
Apple did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
The more expensive device could be priced as much as $1,000 depending on the components used, the report said, but the display-only device would be much less than that.
The potential launch of the device is said to come as the tech giant looks to compete with rivals in the smart home market, including Google’s Nest Hub and Amazon’s Echo Show and Echo Hub smart displays.
The AI ββwall tablet, which looks like a square iPad and is about the size of two iPhones side by side, has a screen of about 6 inches and will be offered in silver and black, according to Bloomberg News.
The product will be a standalone device, but some tasks will require an iPhone, the report said.
(Reporting by Arasu Kannagi Basil in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona)