High-end robotic ‘HomeView Ultra’ could land in 2028 for $1,000
Macworld ·
Macworld While we all wait for Apple’s HomeView smart home hub to ship, we’re reminded that Apple has been working on a larger, robotic version of it for years. A new report from The Information shares some details about the so-called “HomeView Ultra” (which has reportedly been floated but may or may not launch under that name). According to the report, this larger HomeView would have a roughly 9-inch display, giving it about 65 percent more screen area than the 7-inch display on the HomeView. It would be attached to its base via a robotic arm that somewhat resembles the iMac G4 or the Pixar lamp. It would feature cameras and sensors that make it aware of its environment, so it can do things like follow you around during a FaceTime call, turn on lights when someone enters a room, or even shoo the cat off the table. Apple published a research paper last year showing an R&D project for a robotic lamp with personality, and it’s enough to make you instantly want one. If the robotic HomeView similarly animates and moves as though it has a soul, it might even justify the estimated $1,000 price tag. The report claims that the device, code-named J595, will ship later next year at the earliest, or perhaps in 2028. Most telling is that the hardware has apparently been more or less complete for two years , but is waiting on the software to catch up. Also, there has apparently been some debate about which features should be in the 1st-generation device and which should wait for the 2nd-gen model. According to The Information, the autonomous AI features are ambitious and not ready yet, so the release timing is all about balancing the AI development with the first-generation feature set.