Apple ‘planning to build tabletop robot and smart home hub in Vietnam with BYD’
Apple is reportedly preparing to produce new smart home devices - including a display-equipped HomePod and a tabletop robot - in Vietnam as it diversifies manufacturing beyond China.
Apple is reportedly planning to produce its AI robot in Vietnam.
According the Bloomberg, the Cupertino-based company is planning to produce a new line of smart home devices - including an indoor security camera, a HomePod-style hub with a display, and an advanced tabletop robot set to debut in 2027.
The outlet claims Apple is developing two versions of the home hub, with one featuring a seven-inch display mounted on a speaker base, and another designed to be mounted on a wall.
Both will reportedly include FaceTime cameras and adaptive software that recognises users and adjusts the interface based on who is interacting with it - similar to Amazon’s Echo Show displays.
Apple is supposedly aiming to launch the home hub in spring 2026, following multiple delays caused by its ongoing overhaul of Siri.
The new voice assistant - due in March 2026 - will feature AI-driven improvements that allow users to issue more natural commands, search the web, and control smart home devices more precisely.
Alongside the hub, Apple is also planning an indoor security camera for release in late 2025.
However, the most ambitious product in development is said to be a tabletop robot, featuring a motorised arm that can move its display to follow a user around a room.
The device, which draws on Apple’s former self-driving car and robotics research, is reportedly scheduled for 2027.
All three devices will be built in Vietnam in partnership with BYD, the Chinese manufacturer best known for its electric vehicles.
The move marks one of Apple’s biggest shifts yet away from Chinese manufacturing, amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and tariff concerns.
The robot and home hub are expected to retail for several hundred dollars, positioning them as premium alternatives to Amazon and Google’s smart displays.
