Apple is reportedly working on a suite of new home robots, including an ambitious machine capable of folding laundry.
Other robotics concepts being explored by the iPhone maker include a wheeled robot that follows users from room to room and an indoor flying device, according to a report in The Information.
There is no indication that these experimental products will be released to the public, though one of the rumoured devices is a next-generation version of Apple’s recently unveiled HomeView hub.
A prototype of the Homeview Ultra or HomeView Max includes a nine-inch display and a swiveling robotic arm.
The report claimed that the current design for the robot uses a camera and sensors to be “fully aware of its environment and act autonomously, allowing it to turn on the lights when someone walks into a room – or perhaps even try to tell a cat to get off a table.”
The Independent has reached out to Apple for comment, though the company does not typically comment on unreleased products.
Former Apple chief executive Tim Cook hinted last year that the company was planning to launch products in several new categories.
“The product pipeline, which I can’t talk about, it’s amazing, guys. It’s amazing,” he said during an all-hands meeting with staff.
“Some of it you’ll see soon. Some of it will come later. But there’s a lot to see.”
Apple has a history of abandoning ambitious projects, most notably its self-driving electric vehicle that was developed under its Project Titan effort.
The US tech giant worked on the car for a decade, reportedly spending over $10 billion on research and development before finally cancelling it in 2024.
Apple has already designed and built several working robots, though they have only been put to use internally.
The first was called Liam, a 29-armed robotic system designed to take apart end-of-life iPhones and recover valuable materials that traditional recycling methods tend to miss.
In 2018, two years after Liam was revealed, Apple unveiled its successor, Daisy. The new robot is able to disassemble more variations of iPhones, while also processing up to 200 devices per hour.
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