Apple is reportedly developing a device that might revolutionise the smart home industry in the coming few years. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is working on a tabletop device that will be combined with an iPad-like screen and will feature a robotic arm to move the screen. Don't mistake it for any other device with a tablet, as it is intended to be the hub of your smart home.
You will be able to operate each and every single one of your smart devices, conduct video calls, and even have a surveillance on your house remotely with the help of this, added the report.
What We Know So Far
The prime objective of this device is to simplify the life of consumers and help them engage by using commands such as Siri, Apple Speech Assistant. If we talk about an example of how the device would function then suppose you are engaging with someone in a video call and you say, "Look at me," then the device would immediately turn the camera to focus on you.
The report has claimed that the iPhone maker has been working on this idea for quite some time now and it is finally gaining some traction. As per Bloomberg, the top executives at Apple gave this project (internally known as J595) a green light in 2022 only. However, now the tech giant has pulled up its socks in an attempt to make it hit the market by 2026 or 2027.
Apple plans to keep the price around $1,000, though this could change since the launch is still years away. This move into robotics is part of Apple's broader strategy to explore new revenue streams. The company has been testing various concepts, including a self-driving car project that was recently shelved.
Apple is also aiming to maximize its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, which are expected to be integrated into products like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. This effort has been discussed internally.
There were concerns from Apple’s marketing team about whether customers would be willing to pay a premium for such a device, and some software engineers were worried about the resources needed for development. Despite these concerns, Apple CEO Tim Cook and John Ternus, head of hardware engineering, are strong supporters of the initiative.