Overview
- The Information and other outlets reported Monday that Apple is developing a larger, robotic HomeView prototype code‑named J595 that pairs a roughly nine‑inch screen with a motorized arm that can swivel 360 degrees.
- Reports say the prototype includes multiple cameras and environmental sensors so it can detect people and obstacles and act autonomously, for example by turning to face a speaker, switching lights on, or avoiding furniture.
- Sources familiar with the project say most of the hardware was finished about two years ago but disagreements over the scope of on‑device AI and software features are delaying a public launch.
- Apple hopes to release the product in 2027 but multiple reports say the company could push the launch into 2028 and expects U.S. pricing near $1,000, positioning it well above the $299 base HomeView.
- The device grows from work that began in 2019 and sits inside a broader push at Apple toward home robotics and smarter home hubs, so observers will watch software choices, privacy handling, and final feature trade‑offs as signs of the company’s next steps.