According to a new report, an Apple robot would solve “first-world problems”

According to a new report on the project, Apple’s first forays into robotics are aimed at making users’ lives at home more comfortable..

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says the home robot, derived from the failed Apple Car project, would solve the “first-world problems” of users who already rely on a range of Apple devices to do most of their tasks.

So where could an Apple robot – touted as a large iPad on wheels with a robotic arm and numerous cameras and sensors – help out and provide added value to users?

In his newsletter “Power On,” Gurman explains that Apple believes the robot could be helpful when users are away from their device but still need to use a screen or have their hands busy doing other things.

The well-connected Apple Watcher gives some examples: If you’re in a room other than your computer and need it, the robot could come to you, or you might want to check on something in your house while you’re out. Maybe you could send the robot to make sure you turned off the hair straightener in the bathroom, for example?

But this is just a starting point. The robotic arm could make video conferencing and browsing recipes in the kitchen more convenient. “When you’re in the kitchen, it can swivel the screen towards you.”

Apple also envisions a future in which a robot could be a kind of household helper. Gurman writes, “One day, an Apple robot could go even further. Apple has imagined machines that can do household chores – like loading a washing machine or scrubbing dirty dishes – but that’s still so far in the future that the ideas haven’t progressed beyond sketches on a whiteboard.”

Gurman says the first version of the robot could appear as early as 2026, and Apple even has a vision of the future that includes a humanoid robot, complete with Apple’s artificial intelligence.