Apple is considering both humanoid and non-humanoid robots to create the next generation of smart home devices. At least, top insider Ming-Chi Kuo confirms this. In a post on X, the analyst says Apple is in “the early proof-of-concept stage internally.”
Kuo says that while the industry debates the “merits of humanoid vs. non-humanoid designs, supply chain checks indicate Apple cares more about how users build perception with robots than their physical appearance.” The analyst states that this is the reason why Apple uses an anthropomorphic instead of a humanoid style, “implying sensing hardware and software serve as the core technologies.”
While previous reports suggested Apple might reveal its first tabletop device with a robotic arm by 2027, Kuo believes this won’t happen before 2028. He also states that Apple has been “unusually open about sharing some of its robotics research during the early POC stage.” The main reason, according to the analyst, could be to attract talent.
Just recently, the company researchers posted some use cases for a non-anthropomorphic robot. There’s even a video highlighting how it might interact with the environment around it, showing some clever ideas such as lighting up a book, a table, or a wall and responding to human input.
With that in mind, Kuo wrote on X: “People often hear about stages like NPI, EVT, and MP when discussing Apple’s product development, but POC tends to fly under the radar. Essentially, POC is Apple’s testing ground, verifying whether product ideas and core technologies are viable before formal kick-off. Apple’s rumored foldable phone is currently in the POC stage. However, many projects never progress beyond POC—the Apple Car is probably the most notable example of a project that got stuck at this stage.”
As always, BGR will continue to provide the latest reports on Apple’s robot initiatives as we learn more about them.
