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.
Apple robot backed by CEO John Ternus may have hefty price tag and limited uses.
The short version
- People who worked on Apple’s robotic projects told The Information that the AI-driven home robot, code-named J595, could be named HomeView Ultra in line with Apple’s new HomeView stationary smart display .
- The company is reportedly aiming to launch the robotic product with a possible price tag of $1,000 or more by 2027, although development delays may push that back to 2028.
- The earliest prototypes of the home robot first came out in 2018 and received approval from former Apple CEO Tim Cook to continue the project.
What happened
However, the robot’s few reported features seem underwhelming so far when compared with existing smart home devices and systems, or even a run-of-the-mill robot vacuum with a clearer use case for households. Is there a market for a smart home device costing more than $1,000 that moves around while hosting FaceTime calls, automatically handling room lights, and occasionally ordering the family cat to get off the dining table?
Why it matters
One of the Information’s sources also described Apple as having a very small team of about 10 “true roboticists,” with many members of the initial engineering team having departed over the years.
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Ars Technica via the links above and below.