Apple Reportedly Wants To Send Drones Around Your Home and Build a Robot That Folds Your Laundry

Apple is reportedly developing a robotic smart-home display priced at around $1,000 (£745.24), but software challenges could push its launch from 2027 into 2028, according to reporting by The Information.

The project is part of the company's broader exploration of home robotics, which reportedly includes experimental machines designed to follow people, fly indoors and fold laundry.

The plans remain unconfirmed by Apple, and not every project is expected to become a commercial product. The smart-home display appears to be further along than the other concepts, although its final name, price and release date have yet to be established publicly.

Apple's Home Robot Has Grown Beyond a Smart Display

The proposed device is described as a nine-inch touchscreen mounted on a motorised arm that can swivel towards people. Cameras and sensors would allow it to respond to activity around the home, giving it a more active role than a conventional stationary smart display.

Reported examples include switching on lights when someone enters a room and potentially telling a cat to get off a table. The device would also need to detect nearby objects to help prevent its moving arm from striking them.

The challenge lies in the software, not just the moving screen. The project reportedly began as a simpler video-calling device before Apple's AI ambitions expanded its capabilities, making development more complex as the company sought to create a robot that could understand its surroundings and respond independently.

The product has been referred to in reports as the HomeView Ultra, although HomeView Max has also been mentioned.

Neither name has been confirmed as Apple's official branding, and the reported price of around $1,000 (£745.24) should be treated as a target rather than a final retail figure.

Apple's Robotics Experiments Extend Beyond the Home

The smart-home display is reportedly not Apple's only venture into domestic robotics. The company has explored a wheeled machine that follows people, a flying robot intended for indoor use and a device designed to fold laundry.

These concepts are at different stages of development, and the available reporting does not establish that Apple intends to sell any of them. There are no confirmed launch dates or final specifications for the experimental machines.

Folding laundry is a tougher task than moving a screen. A robot would need to handle different fabrics and garments, while wheeled and flying machines would face their own navigation challenges.

Apple has not disclosed enough detail to establish how far these experimental projects have progressed.

The experiments nevertheless point to a broader ambition. Apple appears to be exploring whether its software, sensors and hardware expertise can be extended into machines that interact physically with their surroundings, rather than remaining confined to phones, computers and stationary home devices.

Software Remains the Main Hurdle for Apple's Robot

The reported launch timeline illustrates the difficulty of turning that ambition into a finished product. Apple is said to be targeting an announcement in 2027, although the release could slip into 2028 if software development takes longer than expected.

The Information reports that much of the necessary hardware had been completed for around two years. That does not mean the entire product is ready for commercial release, particularly if its software and automated functions remain unfinished.

The distinction matters because the device's selling point depends on how well its components work together. A motorised arm and a collection of sensors can provide the physical foundation, but the system still needs to interpret its surroundings and respond reliably.

The Information also reported internal disagreements over the robot's features as Apple's AI ambitions expanded.

Staff departures and limited robotics expertise may have added to the challenges, although the reporting does not establish that staffing issues caused the potential delay.

Apple has not publicly confirmed the reported product specifications, internal difficulties or launch timetable. The proposed 2027 announcement and possible 2028 release remain projections, while the company's wheeled robot, flying machine and laundry-folding concept remain unconfirmed experiments.