- A virtual companion robot is targeted for release in 2027 as a key AI product
- New home security cameras will support an automated Apple security system
- Apple aims to boost AI hardware to compete with Samsung and Meta in new markets
Apple Inc is plotting its artificial intelligence comeback with an ambitious slate of new devices, including robots, a lifelike version of Siri, a smart speaker with a display, and home-security cameras.
A tabletop robot that serves as a virtual companion, targeted for 2027, is the centerpiece of the AI strategy, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The smart speaker with a display, meanwhile, is slated to arrive next year, part of a push into entry-level smart-home products.
Home security is seen as another big growth opportunity. New cameras will anchor an Apple security system that can automate household functions. The approach should help make Apple's product ecosystem stickier with consumers, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the initiatives haven't been announced.
Apple shares climbed to a session high on Wednesday after Bloomberg News reported on the plans. The stock was up nearly 2% to $233.70 as of 2:17 pm in New York.
Tim Cook is banking on an ambitious product road map to help get the company's AI effort on track.
It's all part of an effort to restore Apple's mojo. Its most recent moon-shot project, the Vision Pro headset, remains a sales flop, and the design of its bestselling devices has remained largely unchanged for years.
At the same time, Apple has come under fire for missing the generative AI revolution. And OpenAI may even threaten the company's home turf by developing new AI-driven devices with the help of former Apple design chief Jony Ive.
Though Apple is still in the early stages of turning around its AI software, executives see the pipeline of hardware as a key piece of its resurgence - helping it challenge Samsung Electronics Co, Meta Platforms Inc, and others in new categories.
A spokesperson for Cupertino, California-based Apple, declined to comment. Because the products haven't been announced, the company's plans could still change or be scrapped. Many of the initiatives and their timelines rely on Apple's continued progress in AI-powered software.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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