An internal document seen by 9to5Mac reveals that Apple has invited staff to vote for one of 20 distinct “community themes”, each of which represents a possible future Apple initiative. The themes include boosting the affordability of Apple products, driving environmental sustainability and assisting schools.
Apple has declared these themes “a result of global collaboration, innovation and passion”, adding: “Each one reflects our belief that we can leave the world better than when we found it.” The company has further said that votes will decide which themes progress to further development and testing.
Some of these themes could be extensions of projects Apple is already involved with. For example, “Drive Environmental Sustainability Efforts Through Technology” could build upon the Apple Renew recycling program, while “Give Teachers the Tools They Need to Enrich Learning” brings to mind the company’s efforts to turn iPads into more classroom-friendly devices with iOS 9.3.
While you can see the full list of themes above, the focus is very much on new initiatives rather than new products. We do know, however, that Apple could have an intriguing Siri-driven speaker in the works; for more information about that, you can pick up the just-released latest issue of AppleMagazine.