Apple's next HomeView may add a robotic arm and larger screen

Apple may follow the first HomeView with a model that includes a motorized arm, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The rumored device is said to use a larger 9-inch display that can rotate 360 degrees and turn toward whoever is speaking, with possible Max or Ultra branding. Gurman reports it is in development as J595 and could arrive in 2027 or 2028.

The first HomeView costs $299 and is a first-generation product, so it may share the rough edges common to early Apple hardware. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, writing in Power On, points to one specific issue: users must manually rotate the screen, as shown in a commercial where a family passes the device around.

A later model is said to add a motorized arm, a 360-degree screen, and voice recognition that aims the display at the current speaker. Gurman says it may use a 9-inch panel instead of 7 inches, carry Max or Ultra branding, and be codenamed J595. He expects a 2027 or 2028 launch. Apple has previously published research on robotic smart devices, and such rumors have circulated for years.