Apple would be looking for the next technological breakthrough after shelving plans to develop an electric car. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, it could be domestic robots branded Apple: the definitive evolution of the smart home.
Around Cupertino, there are managers and engineers always looking for the “next big thing”: a device truly capable of revolutionizing the technological landscape. The next iPhone: a well-made product in an emerging market, where you can make your mark.
Initially, Apple had considered electric vehicles, with the aim of creating a machine that did not require human intervention. However, after abandoning the electric car project, the company has focused on roboticsalthough the projects are still in the early stages.
Cupertino's robotic projects
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman (via Engadget), Apple is working on two types of home robots: a robot mobile able to follow users in the home and a desktop device which uses a robot to move a screen. The latter aims to imitate head movements and follow a single person in a group, probably for improve the video calling experience.
To allow robots to move autonomously, Apple is evaluating the use of navigation algorithms. The Home Devices team is responsible for development, with at least one engineer from the electric car project reportedly joining the group. However, Gurman notes that Apple has not yet confirmed its investment in home robots. Also because, for now, it seems difficult to understand whether consumer interest exists.
Will Apple be able to sell its home robots?
Those of us who deal with technology every day cannot help but be at least curious about a future where every house has one or more robots. However, the cost must be taken into consideration. Unlike smartphones, robots are not considered a necessity in everyday life today and Apple is reportedly evaluating how much consumers would be willing to pay for them. Considering the research and development behind such a project, the figure may be too high for those who are merely curious.
Gurman had previously reported that Apple might sell the his electric car for around $100,000. A high figure for a car from a company that has never designed a car before. But a car at that price isn't unheard of, and while there would have been significantly lower-priced alternatives, the technological innovations might have attracted consumers. Especially since a vehicle is a common need. Apple would have a harder time justifying a high price for a product that, to date, i consumers don't see it as a necessity.
The next big thing
Could home robots become Apple's “next big thing”? Currently, the company is focusing its attention on Vision Proits mixed reality headset, and on new products for the home, including home robots and a hub device with iPad-like display. Interesting products from a technological point of view — but can they really have the enormous success of the iPhone?
At the moment, it seems difficult to think so. One of the main obstacles is convince consumers of the usefulness and value of home robots. Unlike smartphones, which have become indispensable in many people's lives, robots are not yet perceived as a necessity. But there was a time when even a Internet-connected phone didn't seem like a necessity.
In any case, the company will also have to deal with issues related to privacy and to safety, fundamental for a company like Apple and particularly important for devices that will be used at home. And open a market that could have great potential, but which for the moment does not seem very developed. The “next big thing” does not only depend on the technology itself, but also on the ability to convince consumers of its usefulness. Apple has done this before — whether it can do it again remains to be seen.
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