Apple CEO John Ternus is personally backing a secretive home robot project internally known as J595. The device, which could be named HomeView Ultra, is designed to autonomously roam a home and support FaceTime calls. Apple has been developing the hardware for several years under the direction of its senior leadership.
Former CEO Tim Cook approved the initial project in 2018, but development delays may push the launch date to 2028. The company has a small team of about 10 roboticists and a larger software team of roughly 300 people working on the system. If released on time, the robot will automatically switch on room lights when a person enters.
The device is expected to cost $1,000 or more when it arrives, which puts it in direct competition with other smart home devices. Apple is betting that consumers will pay a premium for a robot that can assist with daily tasks and communication. This project represents a significant push into the physical robotics market for the company.
