Bloomberg reports that Apple is preparing to launch a desktop robot in 2027 with a 7-inch iPad-like display mounted on a movable arc that can rotate and extend about 15 cm in different directions. This allows the robot to turn back to the interlocutor. Inside the company, it is jokingly called the Pixar lamp.
The device is designed as an interactive AI companion — a more "lively" counterpart to the iPad or iPhone. Apple is creating a new Siri for it, capable of remembering information, maintaining long conversations, and having a "visual personality." One design option is an animated Finder logo.
The robot will be able to behave like a person in the room: interrupting a conversation, suggesting restaurant or recipe options, helping to plan trips or perform tasks, similar to OpenAI's voice mode. FaceTime will be supported with the function of automatically tracking people in the frame. The possibility of controlling the display via a joystick to change the angle and show different parts of the room during a video call is also being considered.
The project is still in the prototype stage, so the final design and features have not yet been approved. It is scheduled for launch in 2027, but Apple has had similar products delayed in the past. The company has also yet to introduce Siri with Apple Intelligence.
In parallel, Apple is working on a mobile robot on wheels with a large mechanical manipulator that could be used in manufacturing or in stores.