Apple Exploring 'Mobile Robot' That 'Follows Users Around Their Homes'
Apple is exploring various "personal robotics" projects in an effort to create its "next big thing," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Amazon's Astro robotOne of these projects is described as a "mobile robot" that would "follow users around their homes," while another is said to be an "advanced table-top home device that uses robotics to move a display around":
Engineers at Apple have been exploring a mobile robot that can follow users around their homes, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the skunk-works project is private. The iPhone maker also has developed an advanced table-top home device that uses robotics to move a display around, they said.
Apple is investigating the use of AI algorithms that would help robots "navigate cluttered spaces within people's homes," the report says. Apple has apparently wanted to create robots that can "handle chores, like cleaning dishes in a sink," but Gurman said this feat is unlikely this decade due to "extraordinarily difficult engineering challenges."
Apple's home robot could compete with the likes of Amazon's Astro, which serves as a mobile virtual assistant and provides home security monitoring.
As for the table-top device, Gurman said one idea was for its display to "mimic the head movements" of a person on a FaceTime video call. However, he said Apple has faced technical challenges related to "balancing the weight of a robotic motor on a small stand," and some Apple executives have apparently debated whether to develop such a device.
The robotics projects are said to be in the very early stages of research, and it is unclear if any of them will ever be released to the public. For now, these are just moonshot ideas, but they are fascinating ones to learn about.
Popular Stories
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development.
Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag.
Timing
Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
While the Logitech MX Master 3 is a terrific mouse for the Mac, reports claiming that Apple CEO Tim Cook prefers that mouse over the Magic Mouse are false.
The Wall Street Journal last month published an interview with Cook, in which he said he uses every Apple product every day. Soon after, The Verge's Wes Davis attempted to replicate using every Apple product in a single day. During that...
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence.
Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476
The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
In a research note with Hong Kong-based investment bank Haitong today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple analyst Jeff Pu said he agrees with a recent rumor claiming that the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" will be around 6mm thick.
"We agreed with the recent chatter of an 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model," he wrote.
If that measurement proves to be accurate, there would be ...
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices.
With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...
