Apple has been developing a larger, robotic version of the HomeView, which has been internally referred to as the “HomeView Ultra” or “HomeView Max,” although the final name might prove to be different, according to a report by The Information‘s Aaron Tilley on Monday.
According to Tilly, a prototype of the device includes a 9-inch display mounted on a swiveling arm, with its overall design reminiscent of Apple’s old iMac G4 or Pixar’s lamp mascot. The device would have standard features like FaceTime, but it would also be “fully aware of its environment and act autonomously.” The current tabletop version of the HomeView has a fixed 7-inch screen.
“The current design for the robot envisions it using a camera and sensors to be fully aware of its environment and act autonomously, allowing it to turn on the lights when someone walks into a room—or perhaps even try to tell a cat to get off a table,” the report said. “It is meant to be smart enough to avoid accidentally hitting objects around it.”
While the device’s hardware has largely been finalized for approximately two years, “internal disagreements” within Apple have delayed the device, as involved parties have argued over which software features should be available on the first-generation model or be delayed until the release of a second-generation model.
The report said Apple is targeting a 2027 release for the larger HomeView, and that it is expected to retail for around $1,000 in the U.S. However, the device might not be ready for prime time until 2028.
Most of these details were already reported by Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, who floated the names HomeView Max, HomeView Ultra, or HomeView 360 for the device.