Prior to the cancelation of the EV project, Apple informed its executives about the company’s focus on automotive, home, and mixed reality. However, with the first out of the picture and the third one already in the market, the home category has been left untouched. Hence, the focus should shift to how the company can compete better in the smart home market.
Apple’s Working On Personal Robots Behind The Doors
According to a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is working on two personal robotics projects. The first is about a mobile robot that would “follow users around their homes.” On the other hand, the second project involves an “advanced table-top home device that uses robotics to move a display around.” Though the projects are in the early stages, where the company officials are still determining whether the robots will make successful commercial products, Apple is under immense pressure to develop new product lineups that can serve as additional sources of revenue.
“With robots, Apple could gain a bigger foothold in consumers’ homes and capitalize on advances in artificial intelligence,” adds the report. The table-top robot project excited Apple’s executives a few years ago. “The idea was to have the display mimic the head movements — such as nodding — of a person on a FaceTime session,” the report mentions. Further, the device would be able to lock on to a single person on a video call, keeping the person in the center of the frame. However, among the challenges in making the device include balancing the weight of a robotic motor on a small stand.
What Are The Challenges In Developing Apple-Style Personal Robots?
Further, management has been concerned that the device is too niche and that consumers would be willing to pay the premium Apple is known for charging. “Near its campus in Cupertino, California, Apple has a secret facility that resembles the inside of a house — a site where it can test future devices and initiatives for the home,” the report reveals. Among other ideas for the market include a new home hub device with an iPad-like display, which could be something similar to the Pixel Tablet with the Charging Speaker Dock.
Apple also envisioned one of the robots performing household chores, like watching dishes in a sink. However, that would require overcoming exceptional engineering challenges, which isn’t quite possible at the moment. Even so, Apple is hiring people to contribute to its robotics project, as its website reveals.
How Are Other Projects Contributing To Apple’s Personal Robotics Ambitions?
For instance, the AI team at Apple is investigating the use of algorithms to help robots navigate spaces within people’s homes, something that could help with the personal robotics project the company is tipped to be working on. Surprisingly, the report also unveils that the Neural Engine, an integral part of the iPhones and Macs, was initially developed for Apple’s car. That project also laid the groundwork for Vision Pro, as the company explores ways to use virtual reality while driving. Further, the canceled car’s operating system can be optimized for moving robots.
What Will Be Apple’s Next Big Thing?
Gurman also speaks about how the company has been in pursuit of the “next big thing,” something that drives the same amount of hype and revenue as the iPhone did. For those catching, Apple’s iPhone accounts for over 50 percent of the company’s annual sales, which has both pros and cons. On the one hand, this shows how popular the iPhone is among consumers around the world. However, from a business perspective, this indicates that the company is too reliant on one of its products.
An Apple-branded electric vehicle could have brought in billions of dollars, but that isn’t happening anymore. Nonetheless, the company still has a couple of products in the pipeline, including a non-invasive blood sugar monitor, AirPods with built-in cameras, touch-screen Macs, and an updated Vision Pro that could launch in more markets (at a more affordable price). Even though Apple hasn’t forayed into artificial intelligence, the company’s AI researchers are working on products and use cases that could help catch up with its competitors.
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