Apple Plots AI Comeback With Home Robot, Smart Display, and Lifelike Siri [Report]

Apple is planning an ambitious push into artificial intelligence with a slate of new home devices, including a tabletop robot, a smart speaker with a display, and a new line of security cameras, according to a new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The strategy aims to restore Apple's innovative edge after a slow start in generative AI, a mixed reception for its Vision Pro headset, and mounting pressure from rivals like Samsung, Meta, and OpenAI, which is developing hardware with former Apple design chief Jony Ive.

The centerpiece of the effort is a tabletop robot, targeted for a 2027 release, which is now a major priority for the company. The device, reportedly codenamed J595, resembles an iPad mounted on a movable arm that can swivel and reposition itself to follow users around a room—a design reminiscent of a research paper Apple previously published on a similar concept. The roughly 7-inch display can extend about half a foot in any direction, and some have nicknamed it the "Pixar Lamp." It's envisioned as a virtual companion for tasks and media, with FaceTime calls being a key function. During videoconferencing, the display can shift to lock on to people around a room and even turn to seek the attention of someone not facing it. Apple is also testing a feature that lets users control the robot's view with an iPhone as a joystick. The development falls under Apple's robotics unit, which was recently moved to the hardware engineering division.

Powering the robot will be a completely new version of Siri that can inject itself into conversations, offering suggestions for dinner plans or recipes. The assistant will also get a visual personality, codenamed "Bubbles," with Apple reportedly testing designs that look like the Mac's Finder icon or Memoji. The report details two parallel engineering projects for the revamped Siri: "Linwood," built on Apple's in-house large language models, and "Glenwood," which would use outside technology. Apple is reportedly testing Anthropic's Claude AI for the Glenwood effort. This is part of a broader "end-to-end revamp" that software chief Craig Federighi recently said would be a "much bigger upgrade than we envisioned."


The new home devices will run a new operating system called "Charismatic" (previously codenamed "Pebble" and "Rock"). The interface will reportedly blend elements of tvOS and watchOS, featuring multiuser modes with facial recognition that can automatically change the layout, features, and content to suit each person, clock-face themes like Snoopy, and in some versions, circular app icons and a hexagonal app grid. The OS will rely heavily on voice interaction through Siri and an upgraded version of App Intents, rather than traditional app navigation.

The smart home push also includes a standalone display, codenamed J490, which is now expected to launch by the middle of next year. That device is a stripped-down version of the robot without the arm. Its release was reportedly delayed until 2026 due to its reliance on advanced Siri features that have been postponed.

In addition, Apple is working on a new line of home security cameras to compete with Amazon's Ring and Google's Nest. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the company plans to launch its own smart home IP camera in 2026. The device, codenamed J450, will reportedly be battery-powered and could last from several months to a year on a single charge. It's said to use facial recognition and infrared sensors to automate tasks like turning off lights when a room is empty. The camera is part of a wider security push that is also said to include a smart doorbell with Face ID that can automatically unlock a door for residents, all designed to work with its new home hub.

These new devices are part of a larger roadmap that Gurman has said could lead to an Apple product renaissance. Further out, the company is reportedly planning a revamped Vision Pro headset (N100), a large foldable device that combines a MacBook and iPad, and a redesigned 20th-anniversary iPhone. Apple's robotics ambitions may even extend beyond the home, with a team reportedly exploring a wheeled mobile bot similar to Amazon's Astro and a large mechanical arm (T1333) for use in manufacturing or retail. Apple declined to comment on the report, and because the products have not been announced, plans could still change.


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