Apple’s 2027 Home Robot Aims to Be Virtual Companion

A small, intelligent device that can swivel to face you, remember your preferences, and engage in natural conversation is no longer the stuff of science fiction. Apple is reportedly deep in development on a tabletop robot, an ambitious project that aims to place a proactive, personable AI companion directly in your living room. With a targeted launch window of 2027, this device represents Apple’s boldest vision yet for the future of ambient computing and artificial intelligence in the home.

Codenamed internally and likened to a modern “Pixar Lamp” for its animated and expressive nature, the robot is designed to be a more interactive and engaging version of an iPhone or iPad. It features a 7-inch display, similar to an iPad screen, mounted on a motorized arm. This arm allows the unit to rotate and extend approximately six inches in any direction, enabling it to physically reposition itself to follow conversations and face the person speaking, creating a more lifelike and attentive presence.

How Will Apple’s AI Robot Transform Everyday Home Life?

The core innovation lies not just in the hardware but in a completely reimagined AI experience. Apple is developing a new, more powerful iteration of Siri specifically for this device. This next-generation Siri is being engineered to possess advanced conversational abilities, memory retention, and a “visual personality.” Prototypes are testing an animated version of the classic Finder logo as Siri’s on-screen avatar, moving away from the abstract waveform of today.

The intended function is for the robot to act as an active participant in a room. Imagine discussing weekend dinner plans with a friend; the device could intelligently interrupt to suggest highly-rated local restaurants or pull up a relevant recipe from your collection. It is being designed to handle multi-step, back-and-forth discussions for complex tasks like planning a full vacation itinerary or managing a household to-do list, positioning it as a direct competitor to advanced voice modes like those from OpenAI.

Beyond conversation, the robot will serve as a sophisticated hub for communication. It will support FaceTime calls with an enhanced version of the Center Stage feature, using its movable base to smoothly track people as they move around a room during a video call. Apple is even exploring a joystick control option, allowing a user to manually position the display to show different angles of the room to the person on the other end of the call.

It is crucial to note that the project is still in the active prototyping phase. Key decisions, including the final visual design for the AI personality, have not been finalized. While the goal is a 2027 release, complex hardware-software integrations of this nature are often subject to delays. The launch of this robot is also dependent on the prior successful rollout of Apple Intelligence and the new large language model-powered Siri, which are still in their early stages.

This ambitious move into consumer robotics signals Apple’s conviction that the next major computing platform will be ambient, conversational, and integrated seamlessly into our personal spaces. The Apple tabletop robot aims to be more than a smart display; it is envisioned as a true AI companion, poised to fundamentally change how we interact with technology at home.

Must Know

What is Apple’s tabletop robot?
Apple’s tabletop robot is a prototype device featuring a movable 7-inch display on a robotic arm. It is designed to function as an interactive AI companion capable of conversation, task management, and video calls, with a potential launch date in 2027.

What can the Apple robot do?
The robot is designed to engage in natural, back-and-forth conversations, remember user preferences, suggest actions based on discussions, and handle FaceTime calls with a tracking feature that follows people around a room.

When will the Apple robot be released?
Apple is currently targeting a 2027 release for the tabletop robot. However, as it is still in the prototyping phase, this timeline is subject to change and could be delayed.

What will the Apple robot look like?
Based on reports, the device has a compact base with a robotic arm that holds a 7-inch iPad-like display. Its design has been internally compared to a Pixar animation lamp due to its expressive, movable nature.

How much will the Apple robot cost?
There is no information available on the potential cost of the device at this early stage of development. Pricing details will likely emerge closer to an official launch announcement.

Will the robot have a camera?
Yes, the device will include a camera to support its advanced FaceTime capabilities and to enable features like tracking people in a room during video calls.