New report on ‘HomeView Ultra’ product covers features, pricing, more

Apple’s new HomeView product arrives in users’ homes next week, but today a report from The Information outlines what to expect from a larger, high-end ‘HomeView Ultra’ product coming next year.

Here’s what to expect from larger HomeView-type product with robotic arm

Today Aaron Tilley at The Information published a report on a forthcoming HomeView product that could be dubbed ‘HomeView Ultra.’

Similar to Mark Gurman’s extensive reporting, Tilley classifies the new home product as a robotics project. He says, “Apple’s new CEO John Ternus wants the company to get serious about robots.”

Per the report, the HomeView Ultra product has “a nine-inch screen that swivels around on an arm and resembles the Pixar lamp.” Tilley writes:

Apple initially began working on the robot in 2019—code-naming it J595—and had modest ambitions for it, envisioning it mostly as a device for video calls. Its robotic arm was intended to allow it to follow someone wherever they were in a room. But hopes for the robot ballooned once Apple executives began wanting to add AI capabilities to it.

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. It is meant to be smart enough to avoid accidentally hitting objects around it.

The report notes that much of the hardware for the product “has been finished for around two years.” Software, however, is keeping the device from shipping. This is due to a more ambitious slate of AI-powered features than was originally envisioned.

Pricing is expected to be “around $1,000” per the report, but it may cost more depending on market prices for components. Tilley spoke to several former employees who said they expect Apple to use ‘HomeView Ultra’ branding for the product. As we’ve seen this fall though, Apple has been hesitant to expand its slate of Ultra products.

As for release timing, Tilley says that “Apple hopes to launch the robot next year. It could push the launch out to 2028 though.”

Would you be interested in a product like HomeView Ultra? Let us know in the comments.