Apple is developing a desktop companion robot
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is developing a large number of new devices for the smart home ecosystem, including several robots. He reported on a robot that looks like a 7-inch tablet on a mechanical arm that can extend 15 centimetres in either direction and focus on the interlocutor. The device will be controlled by a new version of Siri, and the screen will display the "visual personality" of Bubbles. Apple tried to use an animated emoticon vaguely resembling the Finder logo, but the idea was not liked and now Memoji options are being reviewed. The idea is to make artificial intelligence look more friendly and playful. Employees call it the "Pixar lamp".
A key feature of the robot is an updated Siri that will be able to engage in dialogues with several participants and have a long-term memory. The robot will be able to fully participate in the dialogue. For example, if we talk about dinner, it can suggest the nearest restaurants. The robot can also be used to make FaceTime calls and automatically turns the camera towards the user.
Currently, the robot is at the prototyping stage - its appearance and functions have not yet been finalised. If Apple does decide to put it on sale, it will happen no earlier than 2027.
Apple is also developing other robots. For example, it is developing T1333, a large robot on wheels with a mechanical arm that can be used in production processes or in stores. This way, Apple can replace some of the staff in its stores. The development of humanoid robots is also not ruled out.
Source: www.bloomberg.com
