Apple's rumored smart home display could be ready to party like its 2002

Key Takeaways

Apple is rumored to be working on a smart home display inspired by the iconic iMac G4 design.
The display will feature a square design, be about the size of two iPhones side by side, and may include speakers, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
Apple’s entry into the smart home display market would further expand its cohesive ecosystem of hardware and software.

This week’s Apple-related headlines are sure to be dominated by the release of M4 Macs and Apple Intelligence, but the company is rumored to have plenty more up its sleeve. For quite some time now, we’ve been wondering if and when an Apple-branded smart home display might hit the consumer scene.

A new report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman sheds additional light on this potential product, specifically with regard to its outward appearance. In a surprise retro move, Apple might be looking back to its iconic iMac G4 for design inspiration. According to Gurman, Apple is testing a display mounted on a base that can be pivoted and swiveled around in a number of directions.

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“The device will have a square display, I’m told, and be about the size of two iPhones side by side. The screen is positioned at an angle on a small base, making it reminiscent of the circular bottom of the iMac G4 from a couple of decades ago. It’s possible that the base will include speakers, essentially turning the device into a HomePod with a screen,” says Gurman.

This is a direct callback to the iMac G4, which featured this “lampshade” design. Not long after, Apple settled on a different iMac design that pushes the internals directly behind the unit’s display panel, which remains the blueprint for even the latest iMacs.

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An Apple-developed smart home display would further bolster the company’s tight ecosystem

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It’s long been rumored that Apple is working on a dedicated smart home display to compete directly with the likes of the Amazon Echo Show and the Google Nest Hub product lines. Apple has released dedicated smart speakers in its HomePod line, which are now available in both full-sized and mini flavors.

Entering the smart home display space seems like a logical next step for the tech giant.

Entering the smart home display space seems like a logical next step for the tech giant, and such a product would undoubtedly integrate within the broader Apple hardware and software ecosystem. I can imagine a seamless transition between iPhone, Mac, Apple TV,HomePod, assuming a user is already within the company’s walled garden.

The prospect of a smart display with a retro-inspired iMac G4 design, re-imagined for the modern era, is exciting.

The prospect of a smart display with a retro-inspired iMac G4 design, re-imagined for the modern era, is exciting. If Apple can keep the cost of a theoretical iDisplay down to something relatively accessible to most people, it might have another success.