Apple is developing a tabletop home robot that could cost around $1,000, The Information reported on Monday. It would put a 9-inch screen on a swivelling robotic arm. Apple is aiming for a 2027 launch, but the device may not be ready until 2028, Aaron Tilley wrote.

Apple’s codename for the device is J595. Former Apple employees expect the name HomeView Ultra, according to the report. That would follow the $299 HomeView hub Apple launched in October. The price could go above $1,000, depending on what memory and other parts cost. TNW has not independently verified the report, and Apple has not announced the device.

A screen that follows you

Cameras and sensors would let the robot track its surroundings and act on its own, The Information reported. The arm turns the screen to follow people during a FaceTime call. It could switch on the lights when someone walks into a room. It could even try to tell a cat to get off the table, the report said.

Apple finished the hardware about two years ago, The Information reported. The holdup is the software. The software team pushed to delay the launch. It also tried to cut the features back to a few, tied to FaceTime and home tasks such as switching on a light.

Ten roboticists, 300 on software

Apple has a small team of only about 10 “true roboticists”, one of the report’s sources said. Many of the robot’s first engineers have left. About 300 people work on its software.

Tim Cook approved continuing the project when he was chief executive, according to the report. John Ternus, who took over on 1 September, is backing it. Ternus is also backing a separate project for robots that do household tasks such as folding clothes, The Information reported.

Last week, Ternus told WIRED that Apple won’t ship AI for AI’s sake. Apple’s suppliers in China have been raising money for their own robot pivot. The standard HomeView, with a 7-inch screen, reaches customers on 13 November.