Apple’s long-rumored entry into consumer robots is now slated for 2027, per the latest report from Bloomberg. The outlet’s anonymous sources paint the product as something of a midway point between a dynamic smart display like Amazon’s Echo Show 10 and companion robots, including Astro and a long line of cute – but ultimately unsuccessful – attempts to break into the space.
The system, which is said to feature an iPad-like display mounted on a robot arm, will apparently be the centerpiece of yet another major push into AI for the company, following Apple Intelligence’s muted 2024 launch. While the company’s small model approach to generative AI was novel, it has thus far failed to live up to the performance of competitors/partners like Google Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Following internal restructuring, Apple is reportedly readying a joint reboot of its AI and smart home strategies. In addition to its first robot, the push would include Siri’s second major update, following one announced at WWDC 2024, along with a new slate of hardware devices, including security cameras, and a HomePod-like smart speaker with a built-in display.
Apple’s foray into robots has already offered a rare peak behind the scenes at the infamously tight-lipped company, through published work in academic journals. The most notable example thus far has been an exploration into “non-anthropomorphic” design published in January, hinting at a possible future approach to developing a consumer companion robot.
Like extended reality (VR, AR, et al.) before it, home robots have largely proven to be a dead end for even the best-resourced corporations. A sudden interest in the humanoid form factor has reignited interest around service robots in the home, but from the sound of it, Apple's direction is more akin to an Amazon Astro or Anki Cozmo -- products that, while cute, have struggled to justify both their price points and continued existences.
