Apple Plans 9-Inch Robotic HomeView for 2027 Release

Apple’s first smart home display hasn’t even shipped yet, and the company is already working on a bigger, more ambitious follow-up. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is developing a higher-end HomeView with a roughly 9-inch screen mounted on a motorized robotic arm — a device that can turn to face whoever is speaking, for a potential launch in 2027 or 2028.

What Gurman reported

The details come from Gurman’s Power On newsletter, published October 18, 2026. He says the device carries the internal codename J595 and is being developed as a premium companion to the $299 HomeView Apple announced on October 13, not as its replacement.

The key upgrades, as reported: the display grows from 7 inches to roughly 9 inches, and instead of a simple tilting hinge it sits on a motorized robotic arm capable of rotating a full 360 degrees. Using voice recognition, the device is designed to identify who is speaking and automatically swivel the screen toward them — a physical, whole-body version of the Center Stage camera feature found on some iPads and Macs.

Gurman adds that Apple has not settled on a name, reportedly weighing options like HomeView Max, HomeView Ultra, or HomeView 360, and that both the timing and the final design could still change. Apple has not announced the product, and no price has been stated — though the report makes clear it would not match the current model’s $299 price point.

The device it follows

The timing is notable: the first-generation HomeView ships on November 13, just weeks away. It centers on a 7-inch display joined to its speaker base by a stainless steel hinge that gives what Apple describes as a “smooth tilt” — adjusting the screen for different table heights, but requiring users to turn it by hand when several people gather around it. HomeView arrives in both tabletop and wall-mounted configurations and starts at $299.

At launch, the device runs 19 Apple apps, with third-party support limited to CarPlay audio and video apps — Spotify is expected on day one — and there is no standalone App Store. FaceTime, Siri AI, Apple Home controls, and personalized household information form the core experience. Apple’s first-party ambitions extend further: alongside HomeView, the company is shipping HomePod mini 2 and a new Apple TV 4K, plus a Home Collection of cameras, a video doorbell, a smart lock, thermostats, and sensors developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric.

The current HomeView already changes its interface depending on who walks up to it, using built-in microphones and a front-facing camera to recognize household members. A display that physically turns toward the speaker would make that personalization far more useful — especially in kitchens and living rooms where the device sits at the center of shared activity.

Why a robotic arm

The reported design addresses a real limitation of fixed displays. In a shared kitchen, a wall-mounted screen only faces one direction; on a tabletop, each person has to physically turn the device toward themselves. A screen that follows the conversation removes that friction — and opens the door to a more “companion-like” device that reacts to people’s presence instead of waiting for them to come to it.

Apple wouldn’t be the first to try this. Amazon’s Echo Show 10 has used a rotating base to follow users around the room for years, at a price of roughly $250. Apple’s version, if the earlier estimates hold, would cost several times that — an old 2024 report floated around $1,000, though Gurman’s latest note does not confirm any figure and it should be treated as a guess. What Apple would add is the combination of voice-based speaker identification, tight Apple Home integration, and the privacy positioning it has built into the rest of its smart home push.

The project also fits a pattern: Apple has been reported to be working on robotic devices for years, including a tabletop robot with a 360-degree arm and a separate smart security camera that uses facial recognition. The J595 may be the first of those ambitions to reach market — and its fate likely depends on how well the first-generation HomeView sells starting next month.

What it means for buyers

If you’re considering the $299 HomeView shipping November 13, this report presents a classic dilemma: buy now, or wait for the better version. For many households, the answer may not change — the standard HomeView covers the core use cases of home control, video calls, and entertainment, and the rumored J595 sits at a meaningfully higher price tier for a product that is still one to two years away.

For enthusiasts, though, the message is clear: Apple’s smart home ambitions go well beyond a first-generation display. Between the Home Collection accessories, Siri AI, and now a reported robotic flagship, the company is building out the kind of multi-tier lineup that suggests it intends to compete with Amazon and Google not just on software ecosystems, but on hardware for every room and budget.

One caveat worth keeping in mind: this is a report from a journalist, not a product announcement. Apple’s plans could shift, slip, or look different by the time anything reaches shelves — the first HomeView itself was delayed by Siri’s readiness before being announced this month. The direction of travel, however, is unmistakable: Apple wants its smart home hardware to move, listen, and follow you. The screen on your kitchen counter may soon turn to face you on its own.