Robotic smart screen? Apple already sells that, and it’s flying under the radar

Apple is reportedly developing a new smart home product, a “pricey tabletop home device that combines an iPad-like display with a robotic limb.” The display would use robotics to swivel around and follow your movement. This all sounds a bit over-engineered and overpriced. It also sounds an awful lot like another product that Apple already sells today, powered by an underused iOS 17 feature: DockKit.

iOS 17 introduced new DockKit feature

Last year in iOS 17, Apple shipped a new feature called DockKit. It’s designed to bring additional ‘smarts’ to certain iPhone accessories.

I won’t blame you if you’ve never heard of it, because very few products utilize the new tech.

Here’s how Apple describes the feature:

DockKit interfaces with DockKit-compatible motorized stands known as dock accessories to track the location of objects that appear in video frames. It determines how to best position the iPhone camera to frame and track objects, with improved person tracking using combined body and face tracking for human subjects. This feature, known as system tracking, automatically starts as soon as a person docks iPhone onto a compatible motorized stand and launches the Camera app.

Essentially, DockKit enables iPhone accessories like stands or gimbals to automatically swivel around and track subjects using the iPhone’s camera system.

Very much like the rumored ‘robotic smart screen’ device will do.

Current DockKit-compatible products

DockKit powers the Insta360 Flow Pro gimbal, so if you’re interested in iPhone videography that’s the accessory for you.

But the DockKit product that most aligns with Apple’s rumored future home device is a motorized Belkin iPhone stand designed for tabletop use.

Belkin’s Auto-Tracking Stand Pro is available today, sold by Apple in the Apple Store, and it provides much of the same utility as the years-off Apple smart home product.

Here’s the feature list:

• 360° face, body, and movement tracking
• Motorized 90° auto-tilt for automatic video angle adjusting
• Works with FaceTime and other popular video conferencing apps
• Single button to activate and deactivate tracking
• 15W MagSafe wireless charging with power supply plug-in
• 5-hour rechargeable batteries for stand operation without power supply plug-in

Basically, if you pair your iPhone with Belkin’s stand, you’ll have a tabletop home device that combines an iPhone display with a robotic swiveling stand. It’s the ‘future,’ available now.

No need to wait for future home device

With your iPhone attached to Belkin’s stand, you can do a variety of things that are undoubtedly very similar to what will be possible on the future Apple device.

Example uses include:

• StandBy mode displaying widgets on your iPhone when the camera’s not in use
• Having the stand automatically swivel to track you while on a FaceTime or Zoom call, or recording a video
• Siri tasks, such as controlling smart home devices, setting timers, creating reminders, etc.
• On supported iPhones, you can simply say ‘Siri’ as the trigger phrase rather than ‘Hey Siri’—an improvement over what’s possible on HomePod
• You can also use iOS 18’s new Vocal Shortcuts feature to create custom voice commands for performing nearly any action on your iPhone, entirely hands-free

All of this is possible today. Without the need for a new device that may cost $1,000 and won’t ship for years.

The main drawbacks with Belkin’s DockKit stand:

1. You won’t have HomePod-quality audio.
2. Your iPhone’s display isn’t as large as what will likely come on Apple’s device. (Then again, this year’s 16 Pro and Pro Max will have bigger screens than ever.)

There’s also a difference between a device with a screen always attached, and a dock that your iPhone gets attached and detached from.

I’ll admit I’m intrigued by Apple’s future smart home product. But if you’re interested in having a tabletop, swiveling smart screen device today, there’s no need to wait.

Belkin’s Auto-Tracking Stand Pro is available on Amazon for $152.

Are you interested in a tabletop smart home product with a screen? Let us know in the comments.