Apple’s AI strategy will focus on robotics, lifelike Siri, and home security.

Apple is planning to re-enter the artificial intelligence domain by launching a series of new devices, including Robotics, smart speakers with displays, and home security cameras.

On August 13, according to media reports, Apple is planning an ambitious initiative to launch a new lineup of AI devices, including desktop robotics, a smart speaker with a display, and a home security camera.

Among these, desktop robotics is at the core of its Global Strategy, with plans to launch in 2027. It will feature a lifelike Siri voice assistant capable of engaging in multi-person conversations. The smart speaker with a display is scheduled for release next year.

Home security is seen as another significant growth opportunity. The new camera product will form the core of Apple’s security system, enabling home automation and enhancing the stickiness of Apple’s product ecosystem for consumers.

These devices will run on a new operating system called Charismatic, designed for multiple users, and will add visual personalization features to Siri, making it more realistic. Following the news, Apple’s stock price climbed to an intraday high of $234.41 on Wednesday. At the time of writing, Apple’s stock was up nearly 1.8%.

As previously mentioned by Wall Street News, in early August, Apple CEO Tim Cook held a rare all-hands meeting, stating that Apple rarely does things first, but they will take control of AI and hinted at the upcoming new devices. He said:

While I cannot discuss the (future) product line in detail, it will be very impressive. Some of these you will see soon, and some a bit later, but there is a lot to look forward to.

Desktop Robotics: A Revolutionary Upgrade for AI Assistants

Apple is developing a desktop robot with the code name J595, which resembles an iPad mounted on a movable mechanical arm, capable of rotating and repositioning to follow users in the room.

The device can turn like a human head toward the person speaking or summoning it, and even proactively seek to attract the attention of someone with their back to it.

FaceTime calls will also be a key feature of this device. During video conferences, the display can move to lock onto people in the room. Apple is testing a function that turns the iPhone screen into a joystick, allowing users to move the robot during video calls to show different people or objects in the room.

However, the hallmark feature of this device is a new version of the Siri voice assistant, which can integrate into multi-person conversations. It will be able to interact with users throughout the day and recall information more easily.

The idea is for the device to act like a person in the room. It can interrupt a conversation between friends about dinner plans and recommend nearby restaurants or relevant recipes. It can also participate in back-and-forth discussions, such as travel planning or task completion—similar to OpenAI’s conversational mode.

Apple plans to design a visual representation for Siri and place it at the center of the device’s operating system, giving it a visual personality to make it appear lifelike. This project, called ‘Bubbles,’ slightly evokes the animated paperclip, Clippy, from Microsoft Office in the 1990s.

Apple once tested an animated version of the Siri icon, which was based on the Finder logo, a signature smiley face for the Mac file management system. The design is not yet finalized, and designers are considering options that more closely resemble Memoji, which are playful avatars representing Apple user accounts.

Global Strategy: A Late but Ambitious Entry

Apple plans to launch a standalone smart display, codenamed J490, by mid-next year.

The device is a simplified version of a desktop robot, lacking mechanical arms and conversational Siri capabilities, but it still includes features such as home control, music playback, note-taking, web browsing, and video conferencing.

Both the smart display and the desktop robot will be running a new operating system called Charismatic, designed for multi-user environments.

The interface is primarily centered around a clock face and widgets, blending design elements from the Apple TV and Apple Watch operating systems. The device is equipped with a front-facing camera that can scan users’ faces and automatically adjust the layout, functions, and content to suit individual preferences.

This marks Apple’s first serious foray into the smart home market, nearly a decade after Amazon and Google began launching smart speakers with displays.

Although Apple introduced HomeKit in 2014 to control third-party devices, the success of its HomePod speaker has been limited.

Major Siri Upgrade: From Voice Assistant to AI Companion

Apple engineers are developing a new version of Siri, codenamed Linwood, which will use a new architecture based on large language models.

Internally referred to as LLM Siri, the software is scheduled for release as early as next spring. Reports also indicate that Apple is preparing to launch a redesigned visual assistant for iPhone and iPad.

Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, hinted at significant improvements to Siri during an internal employee meeting this month. He stated:

The work we have done on the end-to-end transformation of Siri has yielded the results we needed, enabling us not only to deliver the announced features but also to provide a much larger upgrade than we had initially envisioned.

Apple also has a competing project called Glenwood, which will use external technology to power Siri. The company has not yet made a final decision on which model to use, but it has been testing Anthropic’s Claude.

Mike Rockwell, former head of Vision Pro, was appointed to oversee Siri earlier this year and is currently in charge of both the Linwood and Glenwood projects.

Home Security Devices: Challenging Ring and Nest

Apple is developing a home security camera with the codename J450, designed for home security and equipped with person detection and task automation features.

The device will be battery-powered, with a single charge lasting several months to a year, comparable to competing products.

The device will feature facial recognition and infrared sensors to identify individuals in the room.

Apple envisions users placing cameras throughout their homes to enable automation, such as automatically turning off lights when someone leaves a room or playing music preferred by specific family members.

Apple plans to develop various types of cameras and home security products as part of a new hardware and software lineup, aiming to compete with Amazon Ring, Google Nest, and Roku, leveraging its customer loyalty to sell more products.

The company has also tested doorbell devices that use facial recognition technology to unlock door locks.