Apple’s foray into robotics is set to begin with a high-end, tabletop device combining the familiarity of an iPad interface with the functionality of a robotic arm. Priced around $1,000, this “iPadBot” product is poised to be the first of many robotic devices from the Cupertino Colossus.
Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
Apple’s next big thing: a tabletop robotic iPad for about $1,000. The company is pushing forward with its first robotic device, a product designed to take advantage of artificial intelligence advances. It will essentially be an iPad connected to a robot arm, which will be able to swivel the screen in any direction and spin it around 360 degrees. Imagine something like an Amazon Echo Show or Meta Portal on steroids. The screen will be the face of the robot, and users will be able to fully control it with their voice.
You can think of its as Apple’s first product for the AI era. The robot probably won’t debut until 2026 or 2027, but given that Apple has been a laggard in AI, that schedule will give it time to catch up.
This product, if it indeed reaches the market as planned, will probably be the first of many robotic devices from Apple. The company has teams working on a mobile robot that can roam around the home, and some are even investigating the prospect of humanoid models.
MacDailyNews Take: To achieve any measure of success any “iPadBot” would require a much better, much smarter Siri than currently exists today. This includes the Siri in Apple’s latest OS betas. “iPadBot” would require Apple’s WWDC 2024 Apple Intelligence vaporware Siri, fully realized.
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It will probably have a butterfly arm.
If it relies on current Siri or even current location services (for whatever reason), I expect iPadBot to be as useful as Tomy’s Dingbot.
Trying to understand how such a device could be considered a robot. Perhaps the screen would move around, following the human, with an animated Finder face that speaks, holds conversations, and handles tasks.
I hope it’s a face, maybe you can customize it into an animoji panda or shark if you want. If it’s just a glowing Siri orb blob I won’t buy.
This has to be the most idiotic product I’ve ever heard of., What in gods name is the purpose of a spinning iPad . It sounds like Tim Cook wants to sit on it and rotate around.
I must be deficient, but I’m not anticipating, with any sort of yearning; “the first of many robotic devices from Apple.”
Don’t robots essentially equate to performing some sort of service? I have a great need for “another” assistant to lighten “my load?” I actually have a stronger drive to grow some plants, grow some food, walk in the “woods,” go fishing, chop some wood, get sweaty, use my body, feel depleted by burning some BTUs….
Another device that I need to keep charged, perform updates, read Q&A’s on product sites…all for a service for which I pine not?
“This product, if it indeed reaches the market as planned….” has the sound of flailing…hoping for the best (true for every product), but with a “make-work” redemptive quality when tied with: “but given that Apple has been a laggard in AI.
I wouldn’t be surprised, if I’m surprised, but more device clutter. Arggh.
If it can act as a 3rd arm, I am interested. Somebody has to hold the flashlight
Big sigh,
Is the human race getting so lazy they need a “robotic device” to adjust their ipad? I just reach out and spin and tilt it myelf if needed.
Yes I do see a place for it if someone has lost the use of their hands.
For the rest of us? Hmmmm.
At 73 and not getting any younger, I would like to see apple get into designing ‘robots’ for my generation. AI driven ‘helpers’ could be a big market in the years to come.