Apple Wants to Put a $1,000 Robot in Your Home That Watches What You’re Doing, Even When You Haven’t Asked It to Do Anything

Apple is working on a robotic smart home device that can swivel its display, track activity around a room, and respond to its surroundings without waiting for commands.

The 9-inch screen sits on a robotic arm capable of rotating 360 degrees, giving the device a design reminiscent of the iconic iMac G4 or Pixar’s animated desk lamp.

Expected to cost around $1,000, the device would sit above Apple’s recently announced HomeView hub.

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A smart display that responds to its surroundings

Unlike a conventional smart home display, the robotic device is designed to react to activity in the room.

Using cameras and sensors, it could detect someone entering and automatically turn on the lights. More ambitious possibilities include recognizing a cat on a table and attempting to discourage it.

The swiveling arm could allow the screen to follow people around a room, while the device is reportedly designed to detect and avoid nearby obstacles.

FaceTime support is also expected, potentially allowing the display to follow users during video calls.

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Internal disagreements are delaying the launch

Despite the ambitious features, the hardware reportedly has been largely finalized for about two years.

The bigger obstacle appears to be software.

Apple’s teams are said to disagree over which capabilities should ship with the first-generation device and which should be reserved for a future model already under consideration.

Those disagreements have kept the product from moving toward release, even as Apple prepares to launch its more conventional HomeView hub.

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A 2027 launch is possible, but 2028 remains on the table

Apple is reportedly targeting a U.S. launch in 2027, with pricing around $1,000. However, development delays could push availability into 2028.

Earlier details about the device also described a 9-inch display mounted on a 360-degree swiveling arm.

The company has explored other robotics concepts, including machines that move around on wheels, fly indoors, or fold laundry. None has a confirmed release plan.

Meanwhile, the standard HomeView is scheduled to arrive November 13 with a 7-inch display, A18 chip, Siri AI, and personalized smart home controls.

The robotic version would be a separate premium product, although its final name and feature set remain undecided.