Apple’s next big project might be a tabletop robot / iPad

Apple reportedly has “a team of several hundred people” working on a new product that attaches an iPad-style display to a robotic arm that uses actuators to tilt up and down as well as spin 360 degrees, according to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.

The tabletop device could reportedly serve multiple purposes, letting you control your smart home, attend video conferences, monitor home security, and more.

Gurman has reported rumors of the company exploring home robotics more than once over the last several months and now says the project is proceeding with Kevin Lynch, Apple’s vice president of technology, at the helm. Sources tell Bloomberg the company is aiming for a launch in 2026 or 2027 and that it may cost around $1,000.

The device will reportedly be capable of responding to commands using Siri or features inside Apple Intelligence, like “look at me,” which could tilt the screen to face a user during a video call. Apple is currently testing models that run a “customized version” of iPadOS, according to Bloomberg.

This push would come after the cancellation of its rumored car project and the launch of the pricey Vision Pro earlier this year and make Apple the latest tech giant to dive into home robotics — remember Samsung’s Ballie? Meanwhile, Amazon recently discontinued the business version of its Astro bot following rumors of a big generative AI upgrade on the way.