Key Points
- Apple is reportedly shifting its AI strategy to focus on new smart home devices.
- The flagship product is a tabletop robot with a screen on a movable arm, targeted for 2027.
- A simpler, non-moving smart home hub could be released as early as 2026.
- Both devices would run on a new multi-user OS called “Charismatic” and feature a much smarter Siri.
Apple is reportedly shifting its AI strategy away from just software and toward a new lineup of smart home devices, including a tabletop robot. According to a new report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is developing a slate of new products that could help it catch up in the AI race.
The most ambitious of these is a tabletop AI companion described as an “iPad on a movable robotic arm.” The device would be able to swivel its screen to follow you as you move around a room.
Powered by a long-awaited, much smarter version of Siri, it could act like another person in the room, joining conversations and offering helpful suggestions. Apple is reportedly targeting a 2027 release for this robotic device.
The new lineup is also rumored to include a simpler smart home hub without the moving parts. This device, which could be released as early as 2026, would handle tasks like controlling music, browsing the web, and hosting video calls.
Both devices would run on a new multi-user operating system called “Charismatic” and feature a Siri with a “cheery” personality. Apple is even testing visual representations for Siri, including an animated Finder icon or a Memoji.
This new focus on hardware marks a significant pivot for Apple’s AI efforts, which have so far lagged behind competitors like Google and OpenAI. While these projects are still in development and could change or be canceled, the reports suggest that Apple sees the smart home as a key new battleground in the AI war.
