After not making cars, transforming into robots? Former Apple automotive business leader leads the development of desktop home robots

After giving up on making cars, Apple is stepping up its efforts to enter the home robot field, expanding the use of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology to develop new sources of revenue.

On Wednesday, August 14th, Eastern Time, media reports cited sources familiar with the matter as saying that Apple is pushing to develop an expensive desktop home device. The device integrates a display screen similar to an iPad and a long, slender robotic arm, which allows the screen to tilt up and down and rotate 360 degrees using robotic actuators. According to Apple's vision, it will serve as an intelligent home command center, video conferencing device, and a remote home security tool.

Insiders revealed that the project for the above device, codenamed J595, was approved by Apple's senior management in 2022 and has only recently begun to accelerate. It is under the full responsibility of Kevin Lynch, who serves as the Vice President of Technology. Lynch previously led Apple's autonomous car project and is currently in charge of Apple's smartwatch Apple Watch and health software engineering work. Lynch has recently recruited key deputies who helped launch the Apple Watch, as well as renowned robotic researchers and engineers, to develop the desktop robot, with the development team currently consisting of hundreds of people.

Insiders stated that Apple's industrial design team has been researching desktop robots for many years, but there has been internal disagreement on whether to proceed with the project. CEO Cook and hardware engineering chief John Ternus are in support, while the marketing team is concerned that consumers may not be willing to pay for such a product, and software engineering executives are worried about the manpower needed to develop the necessary software. Apple has now decided to prioritize the development of robot devices, with plans for the earliest release in 2026 or 2027, aiming to reduce the price to around $1,000. As these plans are still a few years away from the expected target release date, they may change in the future.

The media believes that Apple's foray into the robot field is part of its efforts to enhance the company's sales and the monetization capabilities of its personal intelligent system Apple Intelligence. It was also mentioned that earlier this year, after deciding to abandon the development of autonomous electric cars, Apple is seeking new growth opportunities.

At the end of February this year, news emerged outside of Apple about the cancellation of the electric car project. Apple abruptly halted its efforts in car manufacturing after investing billions of dollars over nearly a decade, shocking the automotive and tech media circles. Many employees from the automotive-related teams will be transferred to Apple's AI department led by AI strategy vice president John Giannandrea, focusing on Apple's increasingly important generative AI projects.

Subsequently, Wall Street analysts generally believe that giving up on making cars may be a wise choice for Apple to avoid wasting resources. For Apple, a better strategy to enter the automotive industry would be to focus on software development rather than directly manufacturing cars. Rushing into the electric vehicle market would pose multiple challenges for Apple, with slowing demand for electric cars, intensified competition in the industry, a saturated market, high investment risks for Apple, and limitations on Apple's accustomed outsourcing manufacturing model and data advantages, requiring the creation of an entirely new marketing model Analysts believe that canceling a project that may require massive investment and has uncertain prospects for success demonstrates Apple's emphasis on cost control and financial discipline. By abandoning the car project, Apple can focus on areas it deems more important, such as generative AI and other high-growth areas. This is a wise decision because compared to the car project, generative AI can better enhance Apple's moat.

Wall Street News noted that in both April and July of this year, there were reports of Apple developing home robots.

In April, there were reports that Apple was researching personal robot technology, which could become one of Apple's "next big things." Apple engineers have been working on mobile robots that can follow users around the home. Apple has also developed an advanced desktop home device that uses robot technology to move the display.

The July reports suggest that desktop robots will become a new product category for Apple, supported by Apple Intelligence, in the home device market