in a post on x (formerly twitter), ming-chi kuo—one of the most reliable sources on apple-related developments—revealed that the company is working on both humanoid and non-humanoid robots for future smart home use. he noted that apple is prioritizing user perception over physical design, leading to a focus on non-humanoid robots as well.
according to kuo, these robotic products are still in the "proof of concept" (poc) phase, a stage where apple tests and refines new ideas to assess their feasibility. while no official timeline has been announced, kuo predicts that apple's robotics venture could enter mass production around 2028.
silicon valley's robotics race: a new frontier
a report from techcrunch highlights a research paper by apple discussing human interaction with "non-anthropomorphic" robots. the paper references a robot resembling a pixar-style lamp, suggesting apple is becoming more transparent about its robotics research. this field remains in its early stages, supported by both academic and corporate research efforts. some speculate that apple is openly sharing its progress to attract top talent in the robotics sector.
apple is not alone in this space. openai recently filed a trademark that includes the term "robot," hinting at its own ambitions. meanwhile, tesla, led by elon musk, has already unveiled its optimus humanoid robots alongside the cybercab.
however, kuo cautions that many apple projects never progress beyond the poc stage. he pointed out that the rumored foldable iphone is still in this early phase, and apple's long-rumored car project was ultimately scrapped before reaching production.