Apple's 'tabletop robot' companion rumored for 2027 launch

Apple is still hard at work on becoming a relevant player in AI. The latest missive from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg suggests that Apple is shifting its artificial intelligence goals to center on new device segments. Sources reportedly told the publication that Apple has a slate of new smart home products in the works that could help pivot its lagging AI strategy.

The center of the new lineup is a tabletop AI companion that has been described as an iPad on a movable robotic arm. It would be able to swivel to face the screen toward a user as they move around their home or office. Sources said the current prototype uses a horizontal display that's about seven inches while the motorized arm can move the screen about six inches away from the base in any direction. Equipped with a long-promised overhaul to the Siri voice assistant, this device could act like an additional person, recalling information, making suggestions and participating in conversations. According to Bloomberg, Apple is targeting a 2027 release for this product. 

Apple's new lineup is also rumored to include a smart home hub that is a simpler version of the robotic friend with no moving stand. We might be seeing this sooner, with a projected 2026 release for the device. This hub device would be able to control music playback, take notes, browse the web and host videoconferencing. Both the robot companion and the smart home hub are reportedly running a new operating system called Charismatic that's designed to support multiple users. The Siri running on the device will be given a particularly cheery personality, and it may also be getting a visual representation. Bloomberg's sources said there hasn't been a final decision on aesthetics; internal tests have had Siri looking like an animated Finder icon and like a Memoji.

Today's scuttlebutt follows on previous reports from Gurman that pointed to Apple's interest in these categories. The idea of a smart home hub was apparently floated at the company as far back as 2022, and it's finally being rumored to have a formal debut some time this year. Robots have also been a topic of interest in Cupertino for some time, with claims that Apple was developing a personal robot dating back at least to last spring. While this Bloomberg piece offers more detail about those hypothetical plans, there's always a chance Apple will change direction or scrap a project.

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