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