This is the old "homepod with a screen" rumour rehashed. According to those rumours Apple has been looking at putting a screen on the HomePod, and has commented publicly in the past about competitor offerings being enhanced if they had included a screen. Those competitor offerings now exist and we can see how they work.
The issue here is that Apple largely make products which reapply their existing subscription services into a new format thus growing their revenue. Google's Nest Home Hub follows this formula too, it delivers Google's services onto a screen in a place which makes consuming these services convenient. Whereby using those services Google earns revenue and the user is further entrenched into Google's ecosystem. Secondly a user may also be encouraged to upgrade to a YouTube subscription for a better experience.
So while there is nothing stopping Apple from producing similar hardware, what Apple lack here are subscription services that aren't already being served by the HomePod.
One might answer that the obvious use for this device is FaceTime and AI. However Apple currently monetises neither of these and for the types of general AI requests that such a device would handle, Apple currently engage OpenAI.
I'll give this rumour credibility if Tim Cook starts dropping hints about it; like he did repeatedly for the Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, and Apple Intelligence. Until then it's just another Bloomberg Apple article with no substance - of which they have many, most famously with "the big hack".
The issue here is that Apple largely make products which reapply their existing subscription services into a new format thus growing their revenue. Google's Nest Home Hub follows this formula too, it delivers Google's services onto a screen in a place which makes consuming these services convenient. Whereby using those services Google earns revenue and the user is further entrenched into Google's ecosystem. Secondly a user may also be encouraged to upgrade to a YouTube subscription for a better experience.
So while there is nothing stopping Apple from producing similar hardware, what Apple lack here are subscription services that aren't already being served by the HomePod.
One might answer that the obvious use for this device is FaceTime and AI. However Apple currently monetises neither of these and for the types of general AI requests that such a device would handle, Apple currently engage OpenAI.
I'll give this rumour credibility if Tim Cook starts dropping hints about it; like he did repeatedly for the Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, and Apple Intelligence. Until then it's just another Bloomberg Apple article with no substance - of which they have many, most famously with "the big hack".