Apple Inc. is preparing a bold return to artificial intelligence with a lineup of innovative hardware, including robotic assistants, an advanced Siri, smart displays, and home-security cameras, according to sources familiar with the plans.
Central to the strategy is a tabletop robot, expected by 2027, that acts as a virtual companion. A smart speaker with a display is slated for release next year, marking Apple’s entry into more affordable smart-home offerings. The company is also developing home security devices, which will serve as the foundation of a system that can automate household functions and strengthen the Apple ecosystem.
Apple shares climbed nearly 2% to $233.70 on Wednesday after the report. CEO Tim Cook is betting on this ambitious product roadmap to reinvigorate Apple’s AI initiatives and counter years of stagnation in device design, as well as the Vision Pro headset’s disappointing sales.
While Apple is still early in developing AI software, the hardware lineup is seen as key to its resurgence and to competing with rivals like Samsung, Meta, and others. A company spokesperson declined to comment on the unannounced products, which remain subject to change.
Cook told employees in an all-hands meeting this month that the product pipeline is “amazing” and hinted at upcoming devices. Beyond home-focused gadgets, Apple plans redesigned iPhones, smart glasses, a foldable phone, a 20-year anniversary iPhone, the N100 headset, and a large foldable device merging MacBook and iPad functionality.
Apple’s new initiatives aim to boost revenue after slowing growth in its core devices and to reaffirm the company’s innovation credentials, following past hesitations in ventures like self-driving cars. Last year, Bloomberg reported Apple was advancing a tabletop robotics project, code-named J595, and pursuing a new smart-home strategy. Now, more details on its AI ambitions are emerging.
The tabletop robot features a movable display that swivels to track users around a room, resembling a human head. It is designed for work, media consumption, and daily task management. FaceTime functionality will allow the display to focus on people in the room, and a paired iPhone can act as a joystick to reposition the device.
The robot’s standout feature is a fully upgraded Siri capable of participating in multi-person conversations, recalling information throughout the day, and offering proactive suggestions, such as restaurant or recipe ideas. Apple is also giving Siri a visual persona, code-named Bubbles, with options ranging from animated Finder-like characters to Memoji-inspired designs.
The display measures roughly 7 inches horizontally and is mounted on a motorized arm. The robot’s development involves multiple teams across AI, hardware, software, and interface design, led in part by Kevin Lynch. Apple is also exploring mobile wheeled robots similar to Amazon’s Astro, humanoid concepts, and large mechanical arms for industrial or retail use (code-named T1333).
A standalone smart display, code-named J490, is expected by mid-2026. While it lacks the robot’s arm and conversational Siri initially, it offers home control, music, notes, web browsing, and videoconferencing. Both the robot and display will run Charismatic, a new OS designed for multiuser environments, featuring clock faces, widgets, and a mix of circular and hexagonal app layouts. Voice commands through Siri and the App Intents system will be primary inputs, though touchscreens are included.
The hardware resembles a Google Nest Hub, with a square display on a half-dome base, and can also be wall-mounted. Apple’s push into the smart home comes nearly a decade after Amazon and Google began shipping smart speakers with displays.
Apple is revamping Siri with Linwood, a large-language-model-based AI capable of handling personal data to fulfill complex requests, and Glenwood, which may leverage third-party AI. Testing has involved ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Redesigned Siri is set to debut as early as next year on iPhones, iPads, and home devices, with senior VP Craig Federighi emphasizing the project’s scope and importance.
Apple is developing a home-security camera, code-named J450, with facial recognition and infrared sensors to detect occupants and automate household tasks. Battery life could last months to a year. Additional cameras and smart home products are planned, including a doorbell capable of facial recognition to unlock doors. Apple will integrate these devices with iCloud+ for secure storage, aiming to compete with Amazon Ring, Google Nest, and Roku.
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