You could plug the monitor to a router through a Thunderbolt or USC-C to Ethernet adapter. An A13 SOC just for image and audio processing feels overkill, and making the screen autonomous would have been a great way to justify it.
Although making a new user interface on top of iOS is a lot of work. Bare iOS SpringBoard on a $1.6k display won't cut it. tvOS would've been great if the monitor had wireless, but now you need to bump the price, and it feels like you're selling a very overpriced 27 inch smart TV. And I don't think the A13 can smoothly drive a 5k display.
Although making a new user interface on top of iOS is a lot of work. Bare iOS SpringBoard on a $1.6k display won't cut it. tvOS would've been great if the monitor had wireless, but now you need to bump the price, and it feels like you're selling a very overpriced 27 inch smart TV. And I don't think the A13 can smoothly drive a 5k display.