Apple’s first home screen could pay homage to the classic iMac

The new home screen will apparently be smaller. Gurman writes that it will have a square display placed on top of a small base that makes it “similar to the round bottom of the iMac G4 from a few decades ago.” It might even have speakers, essentially making it the rumored HomePod with a screen as one of Apple’s smart home futures.

Gurman didn’t say how much the device might cost but has revealed an “affordable” smart home device with a square display in the past. Rumors have suggested that Apple will release a $1,000 model with a robotic arm that moves the display, but that is not expected until 2026 at the earliest, he reiterated today. Both devices are expected to run standard versions of other Apple applications, such as FaceTime, Calendar, and Notes, and work with Apple Intelligence, which current Apple home devices do not support.

I’m on record as liking the look of the iMac G4 (I use one as an external display, after all). And the idea that the rumored robotic display could look appealing, especially given those early Apple ads that made the iMac G4 spin like a Pixar lamp. If Apple releases and small smart home version of the iMac G4 – robot or not – that I can jump on my countertop to use for sessions or YouTube videos while I cook dinner? I would have a very hard time saying no to that.