Apple May Beat Google's Pixel Tablet To The Smart Home Punch

The best kind of drama starts on iOS and Android. That's why our ears perked up with Bloomberg 's latest Power On newsletter this weekend. A report by writer Mark Gurman suggests that Apple is heading straight for Google with a plug-in iPad like the recently introduced Pixel tablet .

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Gurman reports that Apple is working to bring "similar functionality" from the Pixel tablet to the iPad next year. "The idea is to offer something that users can put on the kitchen counter, in the living room or on the nightstand," writes Gurman, which is said to be in direct competition with an idea recently launched by Google. . Apple may be working on a separate accessory that it can release and sell to work with existing iPad devices. This will be an easy way to convert existing users to use Apple's smart home ecosystem.

It is not difficult to imagine that the company can carry out this plan. Apple sometimes holds an event in early spring that may include an update to the iPad lineup; In March, it released a redesigned iPad Air and also announced the iPhone SE . With the hype behind the new connectivity standard Matter , and a whirlwind of devices launching with support this winter, it's the perfect opportunity for Apple to cement its place in the smart home with a device people already own. It's also a way to enter the race, although the company is believed to be working on a more capable successor to the HomePod.

What is still up in the air is when Google plans to release its Pixel tablet. We were already scratching our heads when we saw how the company changed its marketing on the Android tablet. It feels more like a detachable smart home controller than the innovative spirit espoused by other Android tablet makers like Samsung and Lenovo, which is a prerequisite for the iPad Pro. We know that Google plans to release the Pixel tablet in 2023. Exact date: unknown.

Gurman's report details other Apple hardware expected on the horizon. For example, the updated iPad Pro with the M2 processor. The M1-powered iPad Pro in 2021 will be the first major update to the Pro lineup, though the new chip is expected to offer just a 20% boost over the last generation. Apple is also expected to release a basic iPad. Anyone looking to join Apple's smart home ecosystem will do well to have a separate base, though it will use the A14 Bionic chip rather than the more powerful M series.