Apple Aiming to Launch Tabletop Robotic Home Device as Soon as 2026 With Pricing Around $1,000 - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Aiming to Launch Tabletop Robotic Home Device as Soon as 2026 With Pricing Around $1,000

Apple is moving forward with its project to develop a tabletop robotic device, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


The device would feature a large iPad-like display mounted on a "thin robotic arm" that would allow the display to tilt and up and down and rotate a full 360º, and it would serve as a "smart home command center," a videoconferencing machine such as for FaceTime calls, and a home security monitoring tool.

The tabletop robot would leverage Siri and Apple Intelligence, allowing it to respond to an array of verbal commands, recognize different voices, and automatically orient the display to face users in the room.

While Apple has been toying with the idea for some time, Gurman says Apple has recently prioritized development of the device, putting it under the purview of Kevin Lynch, Apple's vice president of technology who has overseen such projects as the Apple Watch and Apple's defunct self-driving car venture.

Apple is now looking to launch the device as soon as 2026 or 2027 and is aiming to get the price down to around $1,000, though plans may change as development proceeds.

Popular Stories

oneplus open 2

Report: OnePlus to Pull Out of US and Europe

Wednesday July 15, 2026 9:02 am PDT by
OnePlus is exiting the U.S. and European smartphone markets as part of a broader restructuring at parent company Oppo, Bloomberg reports. OnePlus is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Oppo. The change could happen as early as this week, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to Bloomberg. Realme, another Oppo-owned mobile brand, will exit the China market as part of the same...
Mac Pro Feature Teal

Apple Shelved Two Mac Pro Models, Including an Intel-Based One

Monday July 20, 2026 6:30 am PDT by
Apple developed two Mac Pro models in recent years that never made it to market, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman revealed that Apple internally developed two unreleased Mac Pro projects codenamed J170 and J190 before ultimately discontinuing the machine altogether. As for new Mac Pro hardware, there were two additional models developed by...
Jony Ive and Laurene Powell Jobs

Apple Likely Left Jony Ive Out of Its OpenAI Lawsuit on Purpose

Monday July 20, 2026 7:19 am PDT by
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Apple's decision not to name its former design chief Jony Ive in its trade-secret lawsuit against OpenAI was likely a deliberate one, shaped in part by the company's relationship with Laurene Powell Jobs. Apple's roughly 40-page complaint refers only to unnamed "former Apple leaders" rather than calling out Ive, even though he leads design on OpenAI's hardware...

Top Rated Comments

turbineseaplane Avatar
26 months ago
Can we please just get a new iPhone Mini and iPad Mini?

How about making things that real actual customers are currently asking for?
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
26 months ago
Who is asking for this? Is Apple reaching?
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wanted797 Avatar
26 months ago
Why would I not just use an iPad?
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
26 months ago
Useless. what problem does it solve? who is it for? will just be a kids youtube device for high end suburban kitchens
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gusping Avatar
26 months ago
If Apple thinks this will sell well then they are incredibly deluded. They can't even make a simple speaker which is a hit. I can't wait to see the reviews.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
26 months ago
Has Tim Cook written all over it
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)