APPLE PUT A THREAD SMART HOME RADIO INTO ITS NEWEST MACS AND IPADS

Summary from the TLDR Web Dev newsletter

Apple has secretly included Thread radios in many of its newest products, such as the iPads, MacBooks, and iMacs. The Thread radio is a low-power, low-bandwidth mesh networking protocol ideal for smart home devices. While Apple hasn't commented, the inclusion of Thread in these devices could mean they could serve as home hubs, connecting directly with smart home devices, and act as Thread border routers.