According to Bloomberg, Apple is working on a home device that will consist of a robotic arm and a screen similar to an iPad.
After abandoning its electric car project, Apple is continuing its plans for autonomous robots for the home. According to Bloombergthe company is working on a device that would consist of an iPad-like screen and a robotic arm. It would be an alternative to Meta’s Portal screens or Amazon’s Echo Show.
According to the US agency’s sources, this device is seen as a home control center and a home security tool that can be controlled remotely, which can also be used for video conferencing. The screen, which could tilt and rotate 360 degrees, would be the face of this device.
The first robot in a long series
The product could be voice-controlled, with voice assistant Siri, but also future features rolled out with Apple Intelligence, Apple’s in-house artificial intelligence (AI) unveiled at WWDC in June. Specifically, the device would be able to respond to commands like “look at me” by repositioning the screen so that it focuses on the person speaking, during a video call for example.
Still according to Bloomberg, this robot will not be launched before 2026 or 2027, with a price around $1,000. This would be the first product in a long series of robotic devices. Apple is indeed working on several robots including one capable of moving around the house. Having had difficulty breaking into the smart home device market, particularly with its Homepod speakers which have not been as successful as those of Amazon or Google, these products could allow the company to generate new sources of revenue.
