Report: Apple Explores Robots for Smart Home Applications

Apple is reportedly exploring both humanoid and non-humanoid robots for smart home applications.

The company’s research is considering a range of possible robotic systems, from simple ones to complex humanoids, TechCrunch reported Wednesday (Feb. 12), citing a post on X by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Apple did not immediately reply to PYMNTS’ request for comment.

In his post, Kuo said the products are in the early proof-of-concept (POC) stage at Apple and that mass production of any potential Apple robots would likely not start any time before 2028.

Kuo added that POC is “Apple’s testing ground” and that many projects — such as the Apple Car — don’t progress beyond that stage.

Speaking of the robots, Kuo said in the post: “While the industry debates the merits of humanoid vs. non-humanoid design, supply chain checks indicate Apple cares more about how users build perception with robots than their physical appearance (so Apple uses anthropomorphic instead of humanoid), implying sensing hardware and software serve as the core technologies.”

It was reported in April that Apple was considering entering the personal robotics market as it looked for new opportunities for growth after ending its electric vehicle project.

One project the company was exploring was a mobile robot for use in homes, while another was a tabletop device with a display that can be moved with robotics.

It was reported Feb. 3 that OpenAI mentioned robots in a trademark application — along with several other product lines that would be new for the artificial intelligence firm — and that the company began hiring for a new robotics team.

Grubhub said in January that it is working with Avride to bring robot delivery to American college campuses. The program, already available at Ohio State, lets students at Grubhub-partnered colleges order meals, snacks and convenience items for delivery via robot.

German tech company Sereact said in January that it raised $26 million for its efforts to create AI solutions for additional robotic platforms, including humanoid and mobile robots, that perform more complicated tasks beyond logistics and manufacturing. The company already makes vision language action models that allow robots to understand and adapt to their environments in real time.