- The plan is in its early stages as the tech giant races to find new revenue streams.
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Apple is reportedly venturing into the world of home robotics as the “next big thing” after scrapping its decade-long plan to create an electric car.
Engineers at the technology company have been exploring the idea of a robot that would follow users around their home. Bloomberg reports.
The plan is said to be in its early stages as Apple races to find new revenue streams.
It comes after it retired its long-awaited ‘Apple Car’, while its push to create mixed reality glasses is expected to take years to become a major profit generator.
According to Bloomberg, the iPhone maker has also created an advanced tabletop home device that uses robotics to move a screen.
Apple is reportedly venturing into the world of home robotics as the “next big thing” after scrapping its decade-long plan to create an electric car.
The plan is said to be in its early stages as Apple races to find new revenue streams. Pictured: John Giannandrea, senior vice president of machine learning and artificial intelligence strategy at Apple
Sources told the outlet that the robotic display is much more advanced than the mobile robot, but that it has been added and removed from the company’s product roadmap in recent years.
Before scrapping its electric vehicle project, Apple told its top executives that the company’s future revolved around three areas: automotive, home and mixed reality.
The firm has already launched its first mixed reality product, the Vision Pro headset.
Originally, the tabletop robotics project mimicked a person’s head movements on a FaceTime call, such as nodding.
But the company was reportedly concerned about whether consumers would be willing to spend large amounts on such devices.
Bloomberg reports that Apple’s top executives have not agreed on whether to move forward with the product.
Bosses have said they are exploring other ideas for the robotics market at a secret facility that resembles the inside of a house, near its campus in Cupertino, California.
Since the era of Steve Jobs, Apple has had an obsession with finding its “next big thing.”
The iPhone accounted for 52 percent of the company’s $383.3 billion in sales last year.
Its electric vehicles, which were expected to sell for $100,000 a car, were expected to add hundreds of billions to its revenue.
But in late February, Apple notified its employees that it was canceling the project that had been in the pipeline for more than a decade.
Workers who had been developing the car were moved to its Artificial Intelligence (AI) division, although some layoffs were reported to be inevitable.
It follows in the footsteps of Amazon, which introduced a home robot called Astro (pictured) in 2021 for $1,600.
It comes after it retired its long-awaited ‘Apple Car’, while its push to create mixed reality glasses is expected to take years to become a major profit generator. Pictured: an Apple Car ‘concept’
Now its AI division is investigating using algorithms to help robots navigate crowded spaces in its customers’ homes.
It follows in the footsteps of Amazon, which introduced a home robot called Astro in 2021 for $1,600. However, it is still a niche product.
Amazon last year introduced a business-focused version of the bot designed to act as a security guard.
Meanwhile, the most popular home robot remains the Roomba, which Amazon attempted to acquire before regulatory opposition in 2022 scrapped the deal.
Apple’s failed automobile project is believed to have laid the foundation for other initiatives. For example, the Neural Engine, the Ai chip found inside iPhones and Macs, was originally developed for the automobile.
The developers also investigated the use of virtual reality while driving, paving the way for the Vision Pro.
On its website, Apple advertises positions related to robotics.
DailyMail.com has contacted Apple for comment.