HomePod

The ghost in the machine Apple sits on a mountain of cash, yet its hardware portfolio feels surprisingly static. While the company excels at iterative perfection, the gap between what they sell and what they could build is widening. From solving the peripheral headaches of home printing to the high-stakes world of automotive design, the potential for disruptive Apple hardware remains largely untapped. Missing pieces of the ecosystem The most glaring omission isn't a new category, but the refinement of existing ones. A MacBook with native cellular connectivity should have been standard years ago; relying on iPhone tethering is a friction point that shouldn't exist in a premium workflow. Similarly, the HomePod lacks a dedicated home hub with a display to compete with integrated smart home systems. A screen-based hub, paired with native Apple security cameras and doorbells, would finally centralize a fragmented HomeKit experience. Wearables and imaging moonshots While the Apple Watch dominates the wrist, a screenless fitness band—similar to Whoop or Fitbit—could capture the "distraction-free" market. This lightweight puck would prioritize pure data over notifications, potentially overhauling the Health app in the process. More ambitious is the idea of a standalone Apple camera. By pairing a full-frame sensor with Apple Silicon, the company could redefine computational photography, moving beyond the physical limitations of the iPhone sensor. The Ferrari connection and the canceled car The most controversial entry is the canceled Apple Car. Despite billions burned in secrecy, the project never surfaced. However, the recent unveiling of the Ferrari F80 (or related concepts like the Ferrari Luche) following Jony Ive’s partnership with Ferrari raises eyebrows. It is highly probable that years of Apple’s R&D are now living inside the chassis of Italian supercars rather than a sleek EV parked in a suburban driveway.