Apple is developing an AI-powered tabletop robot aimed for release in 2027. The device resembles an iPad on a motorised arm that can swivel, track movement and reorient itself to follow users as they move around.
It is designed to function as a virtual companion that seamlessly integrates task management, media consumption, and videoconferencing into a single, intuitive interface. The core idea is to bring AI to life in the home in ways competitors have not yet achieved. Its display can lock onto faces during FaceTime, and users may even steer its view via their iPhone, acting like a joystick.
This robot marks the centrepiece of Apple’s revitalised AI strategy. It will be controlled by a new operating system called Charismatic, influenced by watch and TV software, designed for multi-user households and integrating clock faces, customizable widgets, and a visual Siri assistant that can pop into conversations. Internally, the project goes by code name J595. Siri itself is getting a major overhaul under the project Linwood, powered by large language models. Another internal project, Glenwood, is evaluating external AI such as Anthropic’s Claude. The goal is to create a dramatically smarter virtual assistant capable of proactively joining conversations, recalling details, suggesting actions such as dinner options or recipes, and planning in real-time.
Alongside the robot, Apple plans to release a smart display next year—code-named J490—that lacks robotics but shares Charismatic and key features like video calls, home control and Siri’s visual interface. AI-enhanced home security is also a cornerstone. Apple is developing new battery-powered home-security cameras (code-named J450) with facial recognition and infrared sensors to detect movement and automate tasks like lighting or music playback. There are even trials of a doorbell that unlocks on facial recognition.
This moves Apple deeper into smart home territory nearly a decade after launching HomeKit, and builds on Gen-AI momentum. CEO Tim Cook emphasised the urgency of winning in AI during a recent all-hands meeting. He described the product pipeline as “amazing,” with some items arriving soon and others later. While Apple has held strong in mobile hardware, the Vision Pro headset underperformed, and the company has faced criticism for lagging in generative AI.
Executives hope these new AI-centric hardware products will reinvigorate innovation and counter declining growth in its traditional devices. The tabletop robot is one of several “moon-shot” projects in the pipeline, alongside thinner iPhones, foldables, smart glasses and a wearable headset codenamed N100.
All of this is based on reporting as of mid-August 2025. None of the products have been officially announced and their timelines could still shift or be cancelled.
(via Bloomberg)
