When Apple introduced its all-in-one personal computer, the iMac G4, back in 2002, it was the coolest computing device you could own. A big departure from your typical squarish-beige-box PC, the iMac G4 was nice and unique, with a white/clear plastic display attached to a hemispherical base that held the components.
The famous iMac G4 is gone now (except as a place of praise in fan houses), but Apple may launch something similar next year – at least externally.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s rumored home display will look similar to the iMac G4, with the display attached (at an angle) to a small base that may “reminisce the circular bottom of the iMac G3 from a few decades ago.”
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The base could include speakers, which would make the device look like a HomePod (mini?) with a screen. But the display, Gurman said, will be much smaller, “about the size of two iPhones side by side.”
The small size should make this device “relatively cheap,” something the user can have in several rooms in his home. Gurman also says the device will run a new operating system, with iPad-like apps like FaceTime, Notes, and Calendar, but optimized for videos and photo slideshows. So, a little bit of everything, then.
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Apple’s smart home display will launch in 2025, Gurman said, as the first of two smart displays Apple is planning. The larger of the two will have a bigger display and a robotic arm, but this one will cost “closer to $1,000” and probably won’t be ready until 2026.
