Recently, a video showcasing a robot lamp created by Apple made its rounds, providing a glimpse into the intriguing possibilities of future robotic products. Today, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has updated us on the current state of Apple’s internal robotics initiatives.
Apple’s robotic products remain in proof-of-concept, projected to launch post-2028
Ming-Chi Kuo shared insights on X:
The duration from proof-of-concept (POC) to official launch varies. Based on the current development progress and standard timelines, mass production of Apple’s robots is unlikely to commence before 2028. Notably, Apple has been more transparent about its robotics research during the initial POC phase—potentially to attract skilled talent.
The recent video and related research document that surfaced last week provided a first concrete look at what Apple’s robotics endeavors may entail.
Mark Gurman has previously reported, and Kuo reiterates, that the term ‘robots’ doesn’t only encompass humanoid forms.
Kuo mentioned, “Apple is investigating both humanoid and non-humanoid robots for its future smart home ecosystem, with these products still at the early proof-of-concept (POC) stage internally.”
The publicly shared robot lamp prototype from Apple possibly indicates the design direction for an anticipated tabletop home robot product.
Gurman previously indicated that Apple was aiming for a launch of this device around 2026 or 2027, but Kuo suggests it won’t hit the market until at least 2028. This raises the question of whether the two analysts have different interpretations of what constitutes a ‘robot.’
Are you interested in the potential robotic projects from Apple? Why or why not? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
