Apple HomeView 360 may add a 9-inch Max that turns to you

The Apple HomeView 360 rumor describes a tabletop device, code-named J595, with a roughly 9-inch display mounted on a motorized arm that can rotate all the way around. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman first reported the 360-degree swivel, and a later report from The Information added more detail from people who worked on Apple’s robotics projects.

The idea is that the screen follows you. Voice recognition would work out who is talking, and cameras and sensors would let the arm turn toward that person, for example to keep them in frame during a FaceTime call. The design has been compared to Apple’s old iMac G4 and to Pixar’s bouncing desk lamp.

If you have used Center Stage on an iPad or Mac, you know the camera trick that crops and pans to keep you centered. A moving arm would go further, because the whole screen physically turns, so it can keep up as you walk across the kitchen rather than losing you at the edge of the frame. Gurman described a lamp-like tabletop design as far back as 2024, so the basic shape has been consistent for a while.

One correction to earlier coverage, including ours: this is not a robot that drives around your house. It stays on a table or counter, and the arm moves the screen. Apple has reportedly explored other robots too, including one on wheels that follows people, one that flies indoors and one that folds laundry, but it is unclear whether any of those will ever ship.

Apple’s engineers have reportedly worked to give the device jobs beyond video calls so it can justify a premium price. The current design is meant to understand its surroundings and act on its own. Examples in the reports include switching on the lights when someone walks into a room and even telling a cat to get off the table.

It is also meant to be aware enough of objects around it to avoid knocking things over as the arm swings. That is a real engineering problem, and Apple has reportedly struggled with the motor system.

The bigger holdup seems to be software. According to The Information, the hardware has been largely finished for around two years, but teams inside Apple have disagreed over which features belong in the first version and which should wait for a second-generation model that is already being discussed. The software team reportedly pushed to trim features and focus on FaceTime and simple home automation.

Apple is reportedly aiming to sell the larger HomeView for around $1,000 in the US in 2027. Some reports say it could cost more than that, partly because memory chips and other parts are getting pricier. And delays could push the launch into 2028.

No UK or Canadian pricing has been reported, and Apple has not said anything publicly about the device.

The project is not new. Reports differ on whether work began in 2018 or 2019. It started as a FaceTime device, then gained the moving arm and, later, plans for AI features. New CEO John Ternus is said to be pushing Apple’s hardware teams to bring more products to market and shorten development cycles, which may explain why talk of the sequel surfaced so early.

If you have preordered the $299 HomeView or plan to buy one, this rumor should not change much. First deliveries are due to start on November 13. That model pairs a speaker with a screen that does not move, and there is a version you can hang on the wall too. Reports differ on its exact size, putting it at six or seven inches.

Keep the first model’s limits in mind. Its software is more locked down than an iPad’s. It cannot install third-party apps directly and leans on content sent from an iPhone, with Apple TV as its only mainstream video service at launch.

Here is a simple way to decide:

• Buy the regular HomeView if you want a kitchen or desk screen for FaceTime, Apple TV and smart home controls now, at $299.
• Wait only if a screen that turns to follow you during calls is the feature you really want, and you are comfortable with a likely four-figure price and a possible 2028 date.
• Expect changes. Rumored names, features and timing can all shift before launch, and second-generation plans suggest Apple may hold some features back.

There is also a fair question about value. A tabletop device costing around $1,000 that mainly does FaceTime and switches on lights has to compete with cheaper smart displays and even robot vacuums that have a clearer job in the home.