Apple is reportedly forging ahead with a rotating, iPad-like tabletop device
The company's take on the Nest Hub and Echo Show is said to have a robotic arm.
Apple appears to be going full steam ahead on an iPad-like tabletop device from which you may be able to manage smart home products, oversee household security and take part in video calls. The device, which could debut as soon as 2026, is said to have a thin robotic arm that moves around a large display. Apple's riff on products like the Google Nest Hub and Amazon's Echo Show may be able to tilt the screen up and down using actuators and rotate 360 degrees. It's slated to be running on an offshoot of iPadOS for the time being.
Apple is said to have greenlit the device in 2022 but work on it intensified in recent months after the company scuttled its multi-billion boondoggle car project. Indeed, Kevin Lynch, Apple's vice president of technology who oversaw the car project and until recently was in charge of smartwatch and health software, is in charge of the device's development, according to Bloomberg.
Hundreds of Apple employees are now said to be working on the tabletop system, which the company reportedly sees as a way to take advantage of its Apple Intelligence tools. Siri and Apple Intelligence are expected to be the main control methods for the device. With a voice command, you may be able to turn the display to face you. It was reported earlier this year that Apple was planning a push into the realm of personal robotics, an effort that includes the tabletop device.
However, there's said to be some internal concern over whether consumers will actually want this product, especially given that Apple already has a strong foothold in the tablet market. Pricing could have an impact on demand as well, with the company aiming to sell the device for around $1,000.
This is one of several devices Apple is working on as it aims to further diversify its offerings and boost its bottom line, Bloomberg notes. While the iPhone still accounts for about half of Apple's revenue, sales have been relatively lagging in recent quarters. This year's lineup, expected to arrive in September, is slated to have relatively modest hardware upgrades with Apple placing more focus on software updates such as Apple Intelligence features.
The other products Apple is reportedly working on include smart glasses and AirPods with built-in cameras. Foldable iPhones and iPads may also be in the works.
