Apple Plans $1,000 Home Robot That Makes FaceTime Calls, Flips Lights

Apple is developing a roaming household robot that can host FaceTime calls and switch on lights when someone enters a room, according to people who worked on the project cited by The Information and reported by Ars Technica. Chief executive John Ternus has backed the effort, the outlet reported, with a possible price above $1,000 and a target launch in 2027 that could slip to 2028.

What will the robot actually do?

The device, code-named J595 and possibly to be marketed as HomeView Ultur, is designed to move autonomously through a home, Ars Technica reported. Reported capabilities so far include supporting video calls, turning on room lighting, and prompting pets to get off furniture. Apple's engineering team has reportedly spent years trying to add functions beyond video calling to justify the price.

One person familiar with the project described the robot's core function as being little more than "a fancy way to make FaceTime calls," according to Ars Technica's account of The Information's reporting.

When might it launch, and for how much?

Apple is aiming for a 2027 debut, Ars Technica reported, though development delays could push the timeline to 2028. The reported price, $1,000 or more, would place the robot well above common robot vacuums and most smart-display products already sold for home use.

Who is building it inside Apple?

The hardware side of the project has a small team, described by one source as roughly 10 "true roboticists," with several original engineers having left over the project's history, Ars Technica reported. The software team is larger, at approximately 300 people, reflecting the heavier investment in AI-driven behavior than in mechanical design.

Early prototypes reportedly date to 2018 and received approval from then-CEO Tim Cook to continue, according to Ars Technica's sourcing. Ternus is also said to be backing a separate, unrelated Apple project on household-task robots—such as folding clothes—that would likely require robotic arms, though it remains unclear whether Apple intends to build a general-purpose humanoid robot akin to those from startups 1X and Figure AI.

Why does a limited-purpose design matter?

Ars Technica's analysis noted that a robot restricted to simple tasks like calling and lighting carries fewer technical and safety risks than a general-purpose machine operating near people. That narrower scope may explain why Apple's first household robot does not include manipulators or arms.

Is there demand for a $1,000 robot that makes calls and flips switches?

That remains unresolved. Ars Technica's report framed the central open question as whether Apple can find buyers willing to pay a four-figure price for functions that overlap with far cheaper smart-home hardware, including voice assistants, smart bulbs, and robot vacuums already on the market.

Apple has not issued a public statement or official roadmap confirming the robot's features, pricing, or release date; all details originate from unnamed sources describing internal plans still in flux, according to Ars Technica's sourcing of The Information's report.