Apple Reportedly Planning to Launch an AI-Powered Tabletop Robot That Can Interrupt Users, Other Devices

Apple is reportedly planning to launch a range of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered devices and features in the next few years. As per the report, the Cupertino-based tech giant remains bullish on generative AI and aims to catch up to the rest of the market as soon as possible. The company reportedly plans to introduce a tabletop robot with a display, a speaker with a smart display, and a security camera. Powering them all would be the AI-powered Siri, which could get an avatar.

Apple's Next Phase of AI

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple's tabletop robot could be launched in 2027. Citing unnamed people with knowledge of the matter, Gurman claimed that the tech giant's robot will be offered as a virtual companion and is planned as the centrepiece of its AI strategy. Another area where Apple is reportedly focusing is home security. Its new AI-powered security camera can reportedly automate household functions as well.

Apple's vision of these new product categories is not new. Ever since 2024, reports have mentioned a tabletop robot with a smart display attached to it. Last year, the tech giant also won a patent for a security camera that uses AI to recognise people, which could be the same technology used in the reported device. And while previously there has not been any chatter about a speaker with a display, Siri's new capabilities have also been reported numerous times.

Gurman's report does highlight a few interesting details about each of the upcoming devices. The tabletop robot is said to resemble an iPad mounted on movable limbs that can reposition itself and follow the user. One of its key features is said to be FaceTime calls, during which the robot can lock onto a user and follow them around, making it a hands-free experience. It appears to be based on a paper published by Apple researchers last year.

One slightly controversial feature reported by the publication is its ability to interrupt a conversation between multiple people and interject its own suggestions. It is said that Apple wants it to appear like a person when people are sitting around a table.

The speaker with smart display, which is said to be launched next year, is code-named J490. As per Gurman, it will be a stripped-down version of the tabletop robot and will not have the movable limbs or the conversational Siri. Both the planned devices will reportedly run on a new operating system called Charismatic. It is said to be a social operating system, designed to be used by multiple people simultaneously.

Coming to the security camera, the report claims that it is code-named J450, and it has facial recognition and infrared sensors to detect and determine people. Additionally, the battery-powered device is said to be able to automate certain tasks over the Apple ecosystem. This device will reportedly be the first in a series of different cameras and other home-security products the company plans to launch in the coming years.

Finally, the report claims that the iPhone maker is planning to add a visual personality to Siri with a new avatar. The project is internally known as Bubbles and appears similar to Clippy in Microsoft Office, Gurman stated. Apple is reportedly considering creating a visual design which is similar to Memoji.