Report: Apple's AI strategy will focus on robotics, realistic Siri, and home security

Apple Inc. is planning to re-enter the artificial intelligence field by launching a series of new devices, including robots, smart speakers with displays, and home security cameras.

On August 13, according to media reports, Apple is devising an ambitious plan to launch a new lineup of AI devices, including desktop robots, smart speakers with displays, and home security cameras.

Among them, the desktop robot is at the core of its AI strategy, scheduled for release in 2027, and it will feature a realistic Siri voice assistant capable of engaging in multi-person conversations. The smart speaker with a display is planned for release next year.

Home security is seen as another important growth opportunity. The new camera products will form the core of Apple's security system, enabling home automation and helping to enhance the stickiness of Apple's product ecosystem for consumers.

These devices will run on a new operating system called Charismatic, designed for multi-user interaction, and will add visual personalization features to Siri, making it more lifelike. Following the news report, Apple's stock price climbed to an intraday high of $234.41 on Wednesday. As of the time of publication, Apple's stock price has risen nearly 1.8%.

Previously, Wall Street Journal mentioned that in early August, Apple CEO Tim Cook held a rare all-hands meeting, stating that Apple rarely leads but will take control of AI and hinted at upcoming new devices. He said:

Although I can't discuss (future) product lines in detail, they will be truly amazing. Some of you will see them soon, while others will come a bit later, but there is a lot to look forward to.

Desktop Robot: A Revolutionary Upgrade for AI Assistants

The desktop robot being developed by Apple is codenamed J595, resembling an iPad mounted on a movable robotic arm, capable of rotating and repositioning to follow users in the room.

The device can turn towards the person speaking or calling it, and even proactively seek to attract the attention of those with their backs turned to it.

FaceTime calls will also be a key feature of the device. During video conferences, the display can move to lock onto people in the room. Apple is testing a feature that allows the iPhone screen to become a joystick, enabling users to move the robot during video calls to show different people or objects in the room.

However, the device's signature feature is a new version of the Siri voice assistant, which can engage in multi-person conversations. It will be able to interact with users throughout the day and recall information more easily.

The concept is to make the device act like a person in the room. It can interrupt conversations between friends about dinner plans and recommend nearby restaurants or relevant recipes. It can also participate in back-and-forth discussions about travel plans or task completion—similar to OpenAI's voice model Apple plans to design a visual persona for Siri and place it at the center of the device operating system, giving it a visual personality to make it appear lifelike. This initiative, named "Bubbles," slightly resembles the animated paperclip Clippy from Microsoft's Office in the 1990s.

Apple has tested designing Siri's persona as an animated version of the Finder logo, which is the iconic smiling face of the Mac file management system. Its appearance has not yet been finalized, and designers are considering some options closer to Memoji, which are playful expressions representing Apple user accounts.

Smart Home Strategy: Late but Ambitious Layout

Apple plans to launch a standalone smart display, codenamed J490, in the middle of next year.

This device is a simplified version of a desktop robot, lacking mechanical arms and conversational Siri features, but still equipped with home control, music playback, note-taking, web browsing, and video conferencing capabilities.

Both the smart display and the desktop robot will run a new operating system called Charismatic, designed for multi-user use.

The interface primarily revolves around clock dials and widgets, integrating design concepts from the Apple TV and Apple Watch operating systems. The device is equipped with a front-facing camera that can scan the user's face and automatically adjust the layout, functions, and content to suit personal preferences.

This marks Apple's first serious foray into the smart home market, nearly a decade after Amazon and Google began launching smart speakers with screens.

Although Apple launched HomeKit in 2014 to control third-party devices, the success of its HomePod speaker has been limited.

Major Upgrade for Siri: From Voice Assistant to AI Companion

Apple engineers are developing a new version of Siri, codenamed Linwood, based on a new architecture utilizing large language models.

The software is internally referred to as LLM Siri and is planned for release as early as next spring. Reports indicate that Apple is also preparing to launch a redesigned visual assistant for the iPhone and iPad.

Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, hinted at an internal employee meeting this month that the improvements to Siri will exceed expectations. He stated:

The work we've done on the end-to-end transformation of Siri has yielded the results we needed, allowing us not only to deliver the announced features but also to provide upgrades greater than we envisioned.

Apple also has a competing project named Glenwood, which will use external technology to power Siri. The company has not yet made a final decision on which model to use but has been testing Anthropic's Claude.

Former Vision Pro head Mike Rockwell was appointed earlier this year to oversee Siri, currently supervising both the Linwood and Glenwood projects

Home Security Devices: Challenging Ring and Nest

Apple is developing a home security camera codenamed J450, designed specifically for home security, featuring person detection and task automation capabilities.

The device will be battery-powered, with a single charge lasting from several months to a year, comparable to competitor products.

The device includes facial recognition and infrared sensor functions to identify individuals in the room.

Apple envisions users placing cameras throughout their homes for automation, such as automatically turning off lights when someone leaves a room or playing music preferred by specific family members automatically.

Apple plans to develop various types of cameras and home security products as part of a new hardware and software lineup, aiming to compete with Amazon's Ring, Google's Nest, and Roku, leveraging its customer loyalty to sell more products.

The company is also testing a doorbell device that uses facial recognition technology to unlock door locks