It's a matter of when, not if. Apple's take on the smart home is coming, with multiple reports saying the tech giant is ready to release its own line of smart devices and home security products.
While it's a little early, Apple's big "awe dropping" event on Sept. 9 could showcase the first elements of its big home expansion. We already expect to see the new iPhone 17, a new Apple Watch and an AirPod announcement. Here's what could happen if there's a surprise home tech release, too, from table robots to home security cameras.
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Tabletop Apple robot
Is a Siri robot in Apple's future? SOPA Images/Getty Images
How do you create something completely new for the smart home space? The rumor is Apple's tabletop robot, a smart 7-inch screen mounted to a swiveling arm that can move to face various people sitting around in a living room, kitchen, office or other space. It sounds a bit like Amazon's swiveling Echo Show 10 (currently discontinued as Amazon appears to be working on an updated model), albeit with an Apple focus on FaceTime for video chats.
The "robot" part is largely due to Bubbles, a code name for an updated version of Siri. Apple has been working on several different versions of Siri with more conversational AI features. For the tabletop display, Siri would gain the ability to hold conversations with multiple people at once, and a first-ever animated icon to give Siri a "face" to use in conversations.
These new versions of Siri seem to be central to Apple's smart home plans, but I'm not sure if they'll see the light of day now that Apple is working on empowering Siri with Google Gemini AI.
The robot is ambitious and unlikely to appear at Apple's fall event. Swiveling smart displays are a tough sell, not to mention mechanical arms, which make displays far more fragile, difficult to use and potentially intrusive.
Apple smart display
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