Coming in 2027: Apple’s $1,000 home robot for FaceTime and switching on lights
Apple robot backed by CEO John Ternus may have hefty price tag and limited uses.
In a potential shift to expand Apple's product lineup, upcoming CEO John Ternus is reportedly steering the company towards the development of household robots. According to insiders, the initial model may be a robot coded as J595, specifically engineered to seamlessly integrate with FaceTime calls and automatically turn on household lights upon detecting a person's presence. The robot, tentatively dubbed HomeView Ultra, would align with Apple's new HomeView stationary smart display.
Reports from The Information indicate that Apple is targeting a 2027 launch for the robotic product, with a suggested price of $1,000 or more. The timeline may be adjusted to 2028 depending on development delays. The company first showcased the earliest prototypes of the home robot in 2018 and secured Tim Cook's approval to continue the project.
Apple's engineers are striving to imbue the robot with more functionalities beyond merely offering an enhanced FaceTime experience. The objective is to justify the premium price point by leveraging advancements in artificial intelligence and software refinement over the years.
Written by urgent.news from Ars Technica's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
