This year, as early as the spring, expect Apple to release its first smart display, essentially a HomePod with a touch screen, designed to compete with Echo Shows and Nest Hubs as a way to control a variety of smart home devices. There are also rumors a wall-mounted smart home display will be available.

Apple reported $18.5 billion in sales in greater China last quarter, comfortably below consensus estimates of $20.9 billion.

Apple on Thursday disclosed its iPhone sales dipped slightly during the holiday-season quarter, signaling a sluggish start to the trendsetting company’s effort to catch up to the rest of Big Tech in the race to bring artificial intelligence to the masses.

The tech giant’s sales of apps and services helped profit grow 7 percent from a year ago, even as the company contended with slumping sales in China.

Tim Cook insists Apple Intelligence is convincing people to upgrade — even if the features are underwhelming so far.