Apple's Robotic HomeView Ultra Could Slip to 2028, Report Says

A display that follows you around the room

The prototype combines a 9-inch screen with a robotic arm. The display can rotate 360 degrees, and the design is said to recall the old iMac G4 or Pixar's famous desk lamp. Using a camera and several sensors, the device is meant to sense its surroundings and orient the screen toward the user.

That should matter most for FaceTime: as someone moves around a room, the camera and display would turn to keep them in frame. The device is also expected to handle home automation, for example switching on lights when a person enters, and detecting nearby objects so the arm does not hit them.

Hardware ready, software not

Apple reportedly finished most of the hardware about two years ago, but the software is not ready. Internal disagreements over what the first generation should offer have been described. The software team reportedly wants a narrower scope, focusing on FaceTime and basic functions such as turning lights on and off, while other features could wait for a second-generation model already under discussion.

If prices for memory and other components keep rising, the device could cost more than $1,000.

Apple has also explored other robotic concepts in the past, including home robots that follow users on wheels, flying home robots and systems that can fold laundry. Whether any of them becomes a product is unknown.

If HomeView Ultra ships, it would mark a shift from Apple's current smart home approach built on fixed screens and speakers toward devices that sense people and physically respond. Apple has not officially announced the product, so its name, features and timing may still change.