Apple is reportedly planning to bring Apple intelligence to its home appliances with a new tabletop robot

Apple Intelligence was announced for several devices, including the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, during the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024. An earlier report also highlighted that the artificial intelligence (AI) feature set could also be added to the Apple Vision Pro, the company’s mixed reality headset. However, the company’s home devices, such as the HomePod and Apple TV, are not expected to receive any AI features in the near future. However, a new report claims that the company is working on a new tabletop robot that could be the first home device to boast Apple Intelligence features.

Apple is reportedly working on a tabletop robot device

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claimed in his Power On newsletter that Apple has no plans to introduce AI features to its HomePod or Apple TV lineup. Instead, the company’s first home device to get Apple Intelligence will be a device that’s reportedly still in development. Gurman claims that the Cupertino tech giant is working on a tabletop home device that will also use robotic mechanisms.

Gurman first mentioned the device in a report in April, where he said it would be an “advanced tabletop home appliance that uses robotics to move its display.” The idea for the device is said to involve adding a display that mimics the user’s head movements during a FaceTime call.

The device can also lock onto a single person standing in a group during a video call. The AI ​​features that might be integrated into the device are currently unknown. There is also no word on when the device might launch. Additionally, the report highlighted that some Apple executives were concerned about whether consumers would pay for such a device.

Last week, a report highlighted Apple’s plans to introduce a new HomePod with a touchscreen attached to it. While there’s no way to confirm it, it’s possible the tabletop robot device was a reference to that.

Separately, Gurman also claimed that the AI-powered Siri app will not be released in beta until January 2025. A public release is expected to occur by the iOS 18.4 update, which is expected to arrive in spring of next year.