Gurman: Table-top robot will be Apple’s first home device with Apple Intelligence features

When Apple Intelligence launches later this year, it will be exclusive to these iPhones, Macs, and iPads. Even features like the new Siri won’t be coming to modern products like the HomePod, Watch, or Vision Pro.

The upgraded Siri’s absence from the HomePod is especially disappointing, and suggested a future HomePod with AI support could be in the works. But according to a new report, that’s not the case. Instead, Apple’s first home device with Apple Intelligence support will represent a brand new product category: a table-top robot.

Apple Intelligence coming to the home in a brand new product

Over the weekend, Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter outlined expectations for the Apple Watch Series 10, which he says won’t feature Apple Intelligence but could lay the groundwork for AI features with its new chip.

As part of that piece, Gurman shared the following info about the future of Apple Intelligence on home devices.

Gurman, writing for Bloomberg:

Anyone looking to use the features on Apple’s home devices, meanwhile, is out of luck. They’ll have to wait until the company introduces its AI-powered table-top robot, something I’ve been reporting on for several months.

Back in April, Gurman first outlined Apple’s robotics projects, detailing the table-top robot as the one farthest along in development—though still ultimately in its early days.

He wrote:

The iPhone maker also has developed an advanced table-top home device that uses robotics to move a display around…The idea was to have the display mimic the head movements — such as nodding — of a person on a FaceTime session. It would also have features to precisely lock on to a single person among a crowd during a video call.

Table-top robot: the successor to the HomePod?

The idea that Apple’s current home devices won’t receive Apple Intelligence support is understandable, since they’re so underpowered relative to AI’s needs. However, this new report suggests there won’t even be a next-gen HomePod with a spec bump to enable features like the new Siri. Instead, we’ll have to wait until this advanced robotics device is ready to debut.

It’s unclear how previous reports about a HomePod with a screen fits into today’s news. Just last week code references indicated such a device was coming.

Perhaps a new HomePod with a display is on its way, but will miss out on Apple Intelligence because the development of these features has been so rushed—and focused on Apple’s most popular devices.

In any case, it sounds like HomePod fans wanting the new and improved Siri are out of luck.