Apple's smart home plans: robot, cameras, and AI-powered Siri
For years, whispers have circulated about Apple’s venture into smart home devices equipped with touchscreens, often fueled by subtle clues hidden within the company’s software updates. Now, a recent report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggests that Apple’s ambitions extend far beyond merely adding a display to its HomePod speakers, hinting at a more sophisticated, even robotic, future for the connected home.
According to Gurman, Apple is actively developing a “tabletop robot” that strikingly resembles an iPad mounted on a movable arm. This limb is designed to swivel and reposition itself, allowing the device to follow users as they move around a room. Furthermore, it can orient itself towards individuals speaking to it or those whose attention it seeks to capture. Prototypes of this intriguing device reportedly feature a 7-inch display, akin to the size of an iPad mini, and include a built-in camera, presumably for FaceTime calls.
While Apple is reportedly targeting a 2027 launch for some iteration of this robot, the timeline remains fluid, as is common with unannounced Apple products—it could emerge earlier, later, or not at all. This robot appears to be part of a broader smart home strategy. Gurman had previously indicated in January that a different smart home device, essentially a HomePod with a screen but without the moving parts, was initially slated for 2025, though its release has since been pushed to 2026. The robot could potentially serve as a more advanced, perhaps premium, counterpart or a direct successor to this static screened device, with both expected to run on the same underlying software platform.
Beyond these interactive displays, Apple is also said to be testing a suite of home security products. This includes cameras and smart doorbells that incorporate facial recognition technology. Gurman’s report suggests that this facial recognition capability could automate various smart home tasks, such as unlocking doors upon recognizing residents, automatically turning off lights when a room is empty, or even playing specific music profiles based on who enters a space.
Apple’s emerging smart home pipeline bears a notable resemblance to some of Amazon’s past endeavors, particularly its more experimental hardware. Amazon has explored similar concepts with devices like the Astro robot and its larger 15-inch and 21-inch Echo Show smart displays. The e-commerce giant also maintains a strong presence in home security through its Blink and Ring camera brands. However, Amazon has recently scaled back some of its hardware initiatives, reportedly struggling to recoup its significant investments in these ventures—a cautionary tale that Apple will undoubtedly consider as it navigates this competitive landscape.
A crucial enabler for Apple’s new smart home devices, Gurman notes, will be a revamped version of Siri. This next-generation virtual assistant is expected to be powered by large language models, similar to the advanced AI technology behind chatbots like ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot. This “more personal Siri” was initially slated for iOS 18 in 2024 but faced delays due to reliability issues, pushing its release to this year’s software updates. Apple is reportedly testing two distinct versions of the new Siri: one codenamed “Linwood,” which leverages an internally developed language model, and another called “Glenwood,” which incorporates externally developed models, such as Anthropic’s Claude. This dual-track approach underscores Apple’s commitment to delivering a robust and intelligent AI experience across its burgeoning smart home ecosystem.