With its built-in camera and speaker, the new Apple TV will join the growing range of Siri-enabled Smart Home products developed by Apple.
It will be like a HomePod, an Apple TV, and a video conferencing device, all in one.
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Bloomberg reports that the new TV accessory will have the hardware to offer a variety of entertainment solutions, from games to streaming video and playing music. It will support HomePod features like Siri voice assistant controls like the Sonos Beam offers with Alexa and Google Assistant. It will also compete with the likes of Facebook Portal TV as a video calling and conferencing device.
Alongside a new Apple TV, Apple is reportedly also working on a smart speaker with a display, similar to Google’s Nest Hub or Amazon’s Echo Show. It will also offer video chat features but without the need to be connected to a TV,
Bloomberg reports that the development of both products is still in early stages and plans subject to change. It also states that Apple merged its HomePod and Apple TV engineering groups last year.
The Apple TV hardware has not been updated since 2017 and Apple discontinued the high-end HomePod last year. Officially Apple wanted to focus on the more affordable HomePod mini. Now we know that the company’s plans may have been set from the beginning: re-take over your TV.