## Apple's Smart Home Ambitions Extend to a "Tabletop Robot" **Report Provider:** Ars Technica, citing Bloomberg's Mark Gurman **Date of Report:** August 14, 2025 (Published Date) This report details Apple's evolving smart home strategy, suggesting ambitions that go beyond a simple screen-equipped HomePod. The primary revelation is the development of a **"tabletop robot"** device. ### Key Findings and Device Description: * **"Tabletop Robot" Concept:** Apple is reportedly working on a device that functions as a "tabletop robot." * **Design:** It is described as resembling an iPad mounted on a movable limb. * **Functionality:** This limb can swivel and reposition itself to follow users within a room. * **Interaction:** The device will also turn towards people who are addressing it or attempting to gain its attention. * **Display:** Prototypes have featured a **7-inch display**, comparable in size to an iPad mini. * **Features:** It includes a built-in camera, likely for FaceTime calls. * **Product Launch Timeline:** * The "tabletop robot" is reportedly targeted for a **2027 launch**, though this is subject to change as with any unannounced Apple product. * A separate smart home device, a **HomePod with a screen (without the moving robot parts)**, was initially planned for 2025 but has been pushed back to **2026**. * The "tabletop robot" could be a **follow-up or a more advanced, expensive version** of the screen-equipped HomePod. * Both devices are expected to run the **same software**. ### Context and Interpretation: * **Evolution of Smart Home Devices:** This report indicates a significant escalation of Apple's smart home efforts. While rumors of a screen-equipped HomePod have persisted for years, the introduction of a mobile, interactive robot suggests a more ambitious vision for home automation and user interaction. * **Competitive Landscape:** The development of such a device places Apple in direct competition with companies already exploring robotic assistants and advanced smart home interfaces. * **Technological Advancements:** The "tabletop robot" concept implies significant advancements in robotics, AI, and user interface design for Apple. The ability to follow users and react to their presence and speech requires sophisticated sensing and processing capabilities. * **Potential Use Cases:** While not explicitly stated, such a device could facilitate hands-free control of smart home devices, enhanced video conferencing, personalized content delivery, and potentially even basic security monitoring. ### Risks and Considerations: * **Uncertainty of Launch:** As with all unannounced products, the reported launch dates and even the existence of the "tabletop robot" are not guaranteed. * **Cost and Accessibility:** The description of the robot as a "fancier, more expensive version" suggests it may be a premium product, potentially limiting its initial accessibility. * **Privacy Concerns:** The inclusion of a camera and the ability to follow users raise potential privacy concerns that Apple will need to address. In summary, Apple appears to be moving beyond static smart home displays and into a more dynamic and interactive era with its reported development of a "tabletop robot," potentially launching in 2027, alongside a screen-equipped HomePod slated for 2026.
Report: Apple’s smart home ambitions include “tabletop robot,” cameras, and more
Read original at Ars Technica →Rumors about a touchscreen-equipped smart home device from Apple have been circulating for years, periodically bolstered by leaked references in Apple's software updates. But a report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman indicates that Apple's ambitions might extend beyond HomePods with screens attached.Gurman claims that Apple is working on a "tabletop robot" that "resembles an iPad mounted on a movable limb that can swivel and reposition itself to follow users in a room."
The device will also turn toward people who are addressing it or toward people whose attention it's trying to get. Prototypes have used a 7-inch display similar in size to an iPad mini, with a built-in camera for FaceTime calls.Apple is reportedly targeting a 2027 launch for some version of this robot, although, as with any unannounced Apple product, it could come out earlier, later, or not at all.
Gurman reported in January that a different smart home device—essentially a HomePod with a screen, without the moving robot parts—was being planned for 2025, but has said more recently that Apple has bumped it to 2026. The robot could be a follow-up to or a fancier, more expensive version of that device, and it sounds like both will run the same software.
