A new report has reiterated that Apple is pressing on with plans to build a robotic iPad smart home command center, that could cost upwards of $1,000.
For a while, Apple has had a rumored HomePod with a screen in the works, as well as other robotic smart home devices. It looks like Apple is pushing ahead with at least one of these super-secret projects.
Writing for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman says that Apple "is moving forward with development of a pricey tabletop home device that combines an iPad-like display with a robotic limb."
Apple's smart home robot
The report says Apple has "a team of several hundred people" working on a new smart home device with a "thin robotic arm" that holds a large screen. The product will reportedly use actuators to move the display, tilting it up and down and rotating it 360. It's reportedly a twist on Amazon's Echo Show 10 or Meta's old Portal.
Gurman says the device will be "a smart home command center, videoconferencing machine and remote-controlled home security tool," and that the project has started to formally ramp up in recent months.
Apple is reportedly prioritizing development with a view to debuting the product "as early as 2026 or 2027, but it could be pretty expensive. Gurman says Apple is trying to get the price down to around $1,000.
The project is being helmed by Apple's veteran Apple Watch exec Kevin Lynch.
As for interaction, the product will reportedly be controlled using Siri and upcoming Apple Intelligence features, with commands including 'look at me' on the cards. The device is currently being tested using a modified version of iPadOS.
If Apple can make its smart home robot work, it could be one of the most exciting product launches from the company in recent memory. It would cover a real gap in Apple's smart home lineup, filling the role of the smart home hub currently carried by the Apple TV 4K and the HomePod lineup. While the device sounds pricey, it's certainly going to be cheaper than Apple Vision Pro, increasing market appeal.
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