Apple Exploring Personal Robots for the Home, Including Mobile Robot Assistant and Video Chat Display
-
Apple is exploring personal robotics projects to find its "next big thing", including a mobile robot that would follow users around their homes and an advanced table-top device with a robotic display.
-
The mobile home robot would place calls, monitor the home, carry out tasks, and answer queries, but is very complex and unlikely this decade.
-
The table-top robot would move a display around to mimic a person's head movements on a FaceTime call, nodding and locking onto people.
-
Apple has a secret facility resembling a home to test future home products like the robots, home hubs, Apple TVs, and HomePods.
-
Competitors like Amazon and Sony have launched home assistant robots, but Apple's work is still in early stages and it's unclear if/when their robots would launch.