Way back in 2016, Patently Apple covered an patent covering a possible future Apple TV with Built-in Depth Camera + Air Gestures. Eight years later, a new rumor report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman who claims that Apple has discussed automating household functions and offering a revamped Apple TV set-top box with a built-in camera for FaceTime videoconferencing and gesture-based controls," which confirms that which was covered in our 2016 patent report.

Gurman further notes that "One piece of their home strategy is a lightweight smart display — something akin to a low-end iPad. Such a device could be shuttled from room to room as needed and hooked into charging hubs stationed around the house – like Amazon's Astro home robot. Apple has started small-scale test production of the screens for this product, but hasn’t made a decision on whether to move forward."

Why oh why would anyone want such an asinine device? Lord help us if Apple thinks that this could be one of their "Great Next Things."

On iPad

Shifting gears, Gurman notes that 2024 is shaping up to be the year of the iPad. The new iPads are finally approaching. You can circle the week of May 6th on your calendar if you — like many Power On readers, apparently — have been eagerly waiting for an upgraded tablet. On the docket is the revamped iPad Pro, an iPad Air, a fresh Magic Keyboard and an Apple Pencil.

Gurman further notes that Apple is also working on new versions of the low-end iPad and iPad mini, but those won’t be coming before the end of the year at the earliest. The new downscale iPad will probably end up being a cost-reduced version of the 10th generation model from 2022, while the iPad mini update won’t include much more than a processor upgrade.

Looking further down the road: Apple engineers are exploring the prospect of foldable iPads. Now, work on this initiative is in its early stages and the company has yet to figure out a way to create foldable screens without the crease seen on similar devices from Samsung Electronics Co. and others. I’ve been warned that if Apple is unable to solve that problem it could decide to ditch the foldable concept altogether. But there’s still time.

On Vision Pro

Apple debuts more lifelike Personas for the Vision Pro, while visionOS 1.2 goes into testing. The visionOS 1.1 update came out weeks ago, but Apple just added a snazzy new feature: Spatial Personas. These are the next-generation avatars that let you feel like you’re in the same room with other people on FaceTime (the original Personas felt more like being trapped in a frosted glass box). Ironically, the first beta version of visionOS 1.2 dropped this past week and brought almost nothing new. (In fact, two of the original environments that shipped with the Vision Pro on Feb. 2 are still nonfunctional.)

I’ve tested the new Spatial Personas, which are considered a beta, for several minutes with two different people. I am very impressed — I’d even go as far as saying Apple’s communications and marketing teams have underplayed this feature so far. It’s that cool and unlike anything I’ve really experienced before. In fact, it’s so cool that the lack of the feature in the initial Vision Pro launch probably held back the product. If you have a Vision Pro (and somehow know someone else with one), you simply have to try it. For more, read the full Bloomberg report.