Along with most other technology companies, Apple appears to be trying to break into the field of robotics According to a new report, the company is in the “early stages” of finding ways to harness the power of robotics to get into consumers' homes

This is according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who in his latest column outlines Apple's possible robotics plans The focus of Apple's plan seems to be to develop new products to sell to people who are already part of Apple's ecosystem of cell phones, computers, and other devices

According to Garman, Apple's first robotic test device will be a tabletop device codenamed J595 It will reportedly have a camera and robotic actuators, and we won't see the J595 until 2026 or 2027, according to Garman

However, Apple is also said to be developing mobile and humanoid-type robots in the next decade They look like something out of a science fiction movie, but it remains to be seen what Apple (and other companies) will look like when they announce them

As for what these robots will be used for, Garman says they are meant to solve “first world problems” He cites the fact that devices are only useful when they are within reach, and Apple's robot could solve that problem He mentioned taking pictures and video conferencing without having to hold the device The report also mentions the ability to check something in the house while out and about, presumably using a mixture of mobility and cameras

“Apple envisions a machine that does household chores, like loading the washing machine or scrubbing dirty dishes, but that is still far in the future and the idea is not more than a sketch on a whiteboard,” Garman said in the report

The robotics effort is being led by Kevin Lynch, Apple's vice president of technology, who previously worked on the automotive team and software engineering for the Apple Watch may not have seen the light of day, but his work on the project may help Apple bring its brand of robots to market