Siri Speaker and WWDC Dreams

When the AirPort Express was first released I loved it. For my apartments, and even my first house, it provided adequate coverage - and the audio out allowed me to fill my home with music from my computer. 

When the AppleTV was released I liked the idea, and loved the photo screen saver. Putting photos on the TV with friends over led to reminiscing, sharing stories, and served as a conversation starter for new acquaintances. I assumed it was only a matter of time before the AppleTV converged with the Airport Express. Why wouldn't a box that provides internet and audio out converge with a box that needs internet and provides both audio and video out? The AppleTV seemed like it should be an evolution of the Airport Express.

When the iPad was first released it included a photo frame mode. I loved the idea that the iPad could 'live' on an end table as a photo frame and easily be picked up for use on demand. However, in landscape mode the power cord stuck awkwardly out the side and it wasn't easy to just pick it up off of a stand because you had to undo the cable. 

I had mostly given up on these ideas, but recent changes and rumors have me thinking about them all again. 

First, they unveiled the smart connector on the side of the iPad Pro. I immediately hoped for a dock where you can set the iPad on its side and a new version of picture frame mode to make my original dream a reality. This hasn't materialized, but maybe as part of iPad focused iOS updates this year? This could even come from a third party.

On the rumor side, when I hear that Apple is getting out of the Airport business and see the rise of mesh networks I think that the time might be right for the AppleTV to (finally) pick up the ability to serve as an access point - only this time as part of a mesh network. I've already got them spread around the house and connected to Ethernet where possible, so why not let them blanket my home in meshy internet goodness?

While I'm dreaming, why couldn't the iPad dock also be a mesh network access point? And why not add speakers and microphones to that dock for use with Siri?

I'm not that excited about a 'Siri speaker' in isolation. But a small, attractive, mesh network access point, that provides easy whole home audio, and provides a docking point for my iPad, and uses the iPad as a screen for photo display and weather, and timers, etc. when docked - that also happens to be said Siri speaker - sounds great.

I'd like to see the AppleTV do all of the same things, though perhaps without docking (or just a dock for an improved remote?) and with the added assumption of a connected TV. 

Of course these should all work together. Let the dock in the corner have the microphone that picks up my voice, but let the output be easily sent to the TV. 

Speaking of TVs and remotes, my other wish is for an IR blaster in the dock, an IR out port on the AppleTV, and support for sending IR commands via HomeKit. For example, if my receiver is in a cabinet with my AppleTV I want to be able to tell Siri to turn up the volume and have the AppleTV produce the IR command to make it happen. Similarly I want my next AppleTV remote to be able to turn up the volume on my receiver without line of sight. Overall, I want Siri to be able to control my entire entertainment setup - without relying on CEC.

Final side note, Marco Arment on ATP suggested that the Siri speaker will work like an Apple Watch - an extension of a single iOS device. He may be right, but I hope not. It should work like an Airport base station: settings live on the device, but any iOS device or Mac can configure it. Add a splash of the Remote app's home sharing setup for controlling AppleTV and we're in business. Tying a shared family device to a single iOS device sounds like a nightmare.