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Apple’s rumored smart home robot may be delayed until 2028, according to a report by The Information cited by The Verge. The report says the hardware has been finished for about two years, while the software team is still working to narrow features and prepare the product. Apple has not confirmed the device, its name, price or release date.
Apple’s rumored smart home robot may not launch until 2028, according to The Information, in a delay reportedly driven by unfinished software. The report, cited by The Verge, says the device’s hardware has been complete for around two years, but the software team has pushed to postpone its release and reduce the planned feature set.
The Information reports that the software team has sought more time and tried to strip back proposed features, focusing the device on a smaller set of functions. Those reportedly include FaceTime and home-task automation, such as switching on a light. The account describes an internal development issue, not an Apple announcement: the company has not publicly confirmed the robot or a launch schedule in the supplied reporting.
The device is reportedly codenamed J595. The Information describes a 9-inch display mounted on a swiveling robotic arm, with cameras and sensors intended to support functions such as following a user during a FaceTime call. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman previously described a stationary tabletop concept resembling Pixar’s lamp character. These descriptions are reported details, not specifications confirmed by Apple.
Former Apple employees cited in the reporting have predicted a possible retail name, “HomeView Ultra,” linking it to a HomeView smart display that the source material says launched last month. The robot could cost about $1,000 or more, according to the report, with the final amount potentially affected by higher costs for memory and other components. Neither the name nor the price has been announced by Apple.
A Delay Could Test Apple’s Home Strategy
A postponement would leave consumers waiting longer for a product that could combine a moving display, video calls and smart-home controls in a single device. The reported effort to reduce features suggests Apple may be weighing what the robot can reliably do at launch against the time and complexity involved in building a broader set of capabilities.
The reported price would also place the device well above many basic smart-home displays, making its usefulness and software experience central to its appeal. That is an implication of the reported price and feature plans, not evidence of how customers will respond. If the software remains the main obstacle, the eventual release date could matter less than whether the device can perform its core tasks consistently.
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From Hardware Design to Software Readiness
The reports describe a product in development rather than a confirmed launch. The Information says the hardware has been finished for about two years, while the software is still not ready. That reported gap helps explain why a device can have a developed physical design without being close to release: its intended calling and home-control functions also depend on software being ready to support them.
In 2024, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple was considering a stationary tabletop robot with a lamp-like form. The newer account attributed to The Information adds the reported display size, robotic arm and possible feature focus. The details indicate how the concept may have developed, but do not establish that Apple has finalized the design or committed to shipping it.
“The robot’s hardware “has been finished for around two years.””
— The Information, as cited by The Verge
Launch Date and Product Details Remain Open
Apple has not confirmed the robot’s existence, release window, design, name, price or feature list in the supplied material. The reported timing is also not fixed: the device could arrive next year at the earliest or be pushed to 2028. The report does not specify which date Apple has selected or what would determine the schedule.
It is also unclear how much of the proposed software is complete, whether the reported feature cuts will become final, and whether the swiveling arm, cameras and sensors will appear in a shipping product. The potential price of around $1,000 or more is an estimate, not a confirmed retail price.
Watch for Software and Timing Updates
The next meaningful development would be a firm release window or product announcement from Apple. Until then, the reported 2027-or-2028 timing should be treated as provisional. Further reporting may clarify whether the company has narrowed the feature set and whether the hardware described by The Information remains the design under consideration.
For now, the available account points to software readiness as the reported schedule constraint, while leaving Apple’s plans unconfirmed. No launch date or next announcement has been provided in the source material.
Key Questions
When might Apple’s rumored smart home robot launch?
The Information reports that it could arrive next year at the earliest or possibly in 2028. Apple has not confirmed a date.
Why is the device reportedly delayed?
The report says the software is not ready. The software team has reportedly sought more time and tried to reduce the planned features.
What is the robot expected to do?
Reported plans include FaceTime and home automation, such as switching on a light. A 9-inch display on a swiveling arm, cameras and sensors have also been described, but Apple has not confirmed these details.
Will it be called HomeView Ultra, and how much could it cost?
Former Apple employees cited in the report have predicted the name HomeView Ultra. The Information puts the possible price at about $1,000 or more. Both details remain unconfirmed estimates.
Source: theverge.com
