Apple seems to be going all-out on its smart-home ambitions, powered by AI. The Cupertino-giant is planning to embed AI into an entirely new ecosystem of home devices, which could possibly include a tabletop robot, a smart speaker with a display, and a new suite of home security cameras, reports Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. This aggressive push is seen by industry insiders as a direct response to criticism that the company has lagged in the generative AI space and a concerted effort to expand beyond its core mobile device business. This development also comes after the lukewarm reception of the Vision Pro headset and years of minimal design changes to its flagship products.
The centerpiece of this plan is a tabletop robot, codenamed J595, targeted for a 2027 release. Described as an iPad mounted on a movable robotic arm, the device is designed to be a virtual companion that can interact with users throughout the day. This physical presence is a key element, intended to make the AI feel more lifelike and conversational. The device’s Siri will be a completely new version, built on large language models, giving it the ability to recall information from personal data, and even interject into conversations to offer relevant suggestions, a function similar to OpenAI’s voice mode.
In addition to this, Apple is reportedly working on a broader range of products to anchor its smart home strategy. A standalone smart display, slated for a 2026 launch, will serve as a simpler, non-robotic version of the companion device. This product, codenamed J490, will run on a new multi-user operating system called “Charismatic,” which is designed to automatically recognize and adapt to different family members through facial scanning. The device will handle core functions like music playback, video conferencing, note-taking, and home device control, but its primary input method will be a newly upgraded, voice-centric Siri.
To complete its ecosystem, Apple is also reportedly entering the home security market with its own lineup of cameras. These battery-powered cameras, codenamed J450, will be capable of facial recognition and infrared sensing to automate household functions like turning on lights or playing a specific user’s music when they enter a room. The cameras are designed to compete directly with products from Amazon’s Ring and Google’s Nest, and will be tightly integrated into Apple’s Home app and iCloud+ subscription service for secure video storage.
At the heart of this entire new hardware push is a comprehensive overhaul of Siri. For years, Apple’s voice assistant has been criticized for lagging behind competitors. The new version, internally codenamed “Linwood,” is built from the ground up using large language models, fundamentally transforming its capabilities from a simple command-and-control interface to a genuine conversational assistant. This new Siri, combined with an enhanced “App Intents” framework, promises to enable users to control apps and perform complex, multi-step tasks entirely with their voice, without ever touching the screen. It remains to be seen whether these changes can make Siri feel more like a genuine companion than a static assistant. Users will likely experience a new level of automation as devices powered by the Charismatic operating system as well.
