Apple Aiming to Launch Tabletop Robotic Home Device as Soon as 2026 With Pricing Around $1,000

MacRumors said:


Apple is moving forward with its project to develop a tabletop robotic device, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


HomePod-G4-Feature.jpg


MacRumors rendering of a similar device based on the G4 iMac​

The device would feature a large iPad-like display mounted on a "thin robotic arm" that would allow the display to tilt and up and down and rotate a full 360º, and it would serve as a "smart home command center," a videoconferencing machine such as for FaceTime calls, and a home security monitoring tool.

The tabletop robot would leverage Siri and Apple Intelligence, allowing it to respond to an array of verbal commands, recognize different voices, and automatically orient the display to face users in the room.

While Apple has been toying with the idea for some time, Gurman says Apple has recently prioritized development of the device, putting it under the purview of Kevin Lynch, Apple's vice president of technology who has overseen such projects as the Apple Watch and Apple's defunct self-driving car venture.

Apple is now looking to launch the device as soon as 2026 or 2027 and is aiming to get the price down to around $1,000, though plans may change as development proceeds.

Article Link: Apple Aiming to Launch Tabletop Robotic Home Device as Soon as 2026 With Pricing Around $1,000
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I've seen this before. I think it was called iMac in the day.
 
This is probably a total nonsense leak to distract Samsung’s R&D team for the next two years. “The race is on!” I hear them saying in Suwon…
 
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wanha said:
While I am dubious of the usefulness of the robotic arm (and the cost it implies), a central smart home command center could be rather interesting with the constantly increasing automation we all have in our homes that is always available (unlike the phone I left in the bathroom or the iPad that's out of battery under the couch cushions).

Hopefully it also doubles as a HomePod with great sound quality.
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The main problem is

In order to be useful it must be tied to someone’s account, for music and home control.

In order to be tied to someone’s account it must be secure. FaceID or touchID

If it’s secure it can only be used by members of the household with privileges.

So you have this expensive home controlling tech that the kids and visitors can’t use.

A bit like your iPhone.
 
I suppose if it’s a fancy challenger for the other smart home set hubs like Alexa but I just don’t see the point.

I think it’s already tough juggling the different user accounts we have as a family.

Plus I think we’d like to be more private these days, I can’t imagine our kids talking to friends where we can hear them etc
 
Robotic arms that fit/sit on the table have been around for at least two decades, they are known as TOYS. All Apple has done is take an already existing toy product and attached a ipad to it.

A youtuber made a concept video of a robotic arm moving an ipad 6 years ago.


It would appear Apple has taken the ipad concept further and incorporated it as one complete unit, arm, screen and motherboard electronics.
 
Rychiar said:
the Vision Pro simply is the future...whether ya like it or not. this thing however...
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I very much doubt it. Similar products at a much lower price point have been available for quite some time, and neither those nor apple’s pricier approach are exactly mainstream.
 
DotCom2 said:
The iPad is a personal device. From what this article says, it can recognize different voices. I take that to mean this device would be something more akin to a "family" type hub. "Show me the security camera in the garage". "What's little Tommy's soccer schedule this week?" "What's on our grocery list?" aka, show me anything on our "Family List" asked by mom, dad,or kid(s) etc etc etc. I think I would deff get this depending on price.
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Because all other apple device with the same chip a the same mics cant do this. just like you need an Apple Watch 9 to use the hand free control despite that existing before on apple watch already.
 
More expensive niche products that get mildly updated every 5 years while the competition is cheaper and has tech from the next decade?
More milking the people who are trapped too deep in the ecosystem?
 
I doubt Apple would create this.

It would make more sense to sell an official iPad stand/dock that enables a "smart home" mode.
Also one must also have 1-2 HomePods connected nearby.
This would increase iPads, HomePods and the stand sells figures.

Merging 2 existing versatile products into a niche one doesn't make sense...
 
That's a LOT of money for a non-portable device that doesn't do standard computing.
 
laptech said:
Robotic arms that fit/sit on the table have been around for at least two decades, they are known as TOYS. All Apple has done is take an already existing toy product and attached a ipad to it.

A youtuber made a concept video of a robotic arm moving an ipad 6 years ago.


It would appear Apple has taken the ipad concept further and incorporated it as one complete unit, arm, screen and motherboard electronics.
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Indeed. Bang and Olufsen sold televisions that rotated to face the viewer a couple of three decades ago.

I don’t think anyone ever called them “robotic”.

Beocentral - BeoVision Avant 28

The definitive Bang & Olufsen reference
beocentral.com beocentral.com
 
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