According to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, apple is developing a dock for the iPad that would enable the tablet to serve as a smart display and speaker. The feature, which will turn the iPad into a device that mimics a smart display and can be placed on a counter or bedside, is reportedly ready to be released as early as next year.

The new M2 chip, which is also present in Apple's most recent MacBook Air models that made their debut earlier this year, will be used in a new iPad Pro model that will be released later this year. Gurman claims that Apple has been working on an iPad docking attachment that may be purchased separately in his monthly Power On newsletter. In order to connect the tablet with a speaker hub, the company is developing a stand-alone capability, according to Bloomberg.

Similar functionality is also available on Amazon's Fire tablets, which customers can dock for charging and use as a stand for a smart display. However, Google just showed a docking station for its upcoming Pixel Tablet that will serve as both a speaker and a magnetic charging station. Once installed, the Google Assistant will function on the tablet as a smart speaker with a display.

Gurman said that an iPad docking station might perform similarly, allowing users to operate smart home appliances and make FaceTime conversations without needing to use their hands.

Additionally, the company is working on new smart home devices, including as a redesigned HomePod that, according to Gurman, might include a multitouch touchscreen, a S8 chip, and a faster processor.