Apple reportedly develops robotic arm smart home device that tracks speakers

Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman revealed in his Power On newsletter on October 18, 2026, that Apple is secretly developing a high-end smart home device codenamed J595. The device is said to feature a roughly 9-inch screen attached to an electric robotic arm, using voice recognition to detect who is speaking and automatically rotate the display toward them. According to the report, the product could launch as early as 2027 or 2028.

The leak follows Apple's recent release of multiple smart home products, including the HomeView tabletop display with a starting price of $299. The robotic arm model is described as a more ambitious high-end variant. Gurman noted that in Apple's promotional video for HomeView, family members are shown taking turns using the screen, but each person first has to manually adjust the screen's tilt angle, highlighting the limitations of a fixed display in multi-user home scenarios.

The report describes the robotic arm HomeView as having a brushless motor inside a hemispherical base for 360-degree horizontal rotation, with servos in the linkage arm enabling vertical tilt. The device would rely on microphone arrays and voiceprint recognition to detect when a user calls it and turn the screen toward the speaker.

The report also cited Apple's earlier research paper on human-robot interaction, ELEGNT, which explores how mechanical arm devices can use non-linear animation to achieve more natural movements. Apple's sensing technologies, including Face ID, HomePod's voice recognition, ultra-wideband technology, and the Center Stage camera, are seen as potential foundations for the device. However, the details remain based on the leak, and Apple has not yet commented officially.