Apple spotlight shifts from cars to robots
Apple pushes robotics as its car business moves off the table
Apple may be famous for its $200 billion a year iPhone lineup but the company has recently shifted gears when it comes to R & D, with its sights firmly set on the robotics sector.
As tech giants try to find new avenues for growth at a time when competition has become fierce on their traditional terrain, should we expect to see innovative new robots bearing the apple logo soon?
Here’s the latest scoop on what Apple has been experimenting with, and what the implications might be for the cybersecurity sector.
The evolution of Apple from desktop computer manufacturer to a laptop maker, and most recently the creator of the iPhone and iPad, a trio of Portable devices that revolutionised the way we communicate for work and pleasure, is legendary.
These innovations have propelled the company to ever increasing heights in terms of revenue and market valuation, with the company now worth $2.8 trillion – an amount almost equal to the GDP of France.
However, with major competition from rivals like Samsung and critics pointing out that the latest iPhone contains very few essential upgrades and is more an exercise in aesthetics, the company is seeking new avenues of growth.
Several years ago, Apple impressed investors and financial journalists when it announced an ambitious smart car project to rival Tesla. Unfortunately, this seems to be stuck in first gear with no realistic timeline for a viable product offering.
Instead, Apple appears to be investigating the potential of robotics – presumably with AI integration.
Like every piece of information about Apple’s, future activities, reports of its robotics research are mainly obtained through leaks and a fair amount of industry gossip. Word from Silicone Valley is that the manufacturer is developing two main prototypes:
- A consumer robotics product with full integration to the companies of the devices.
- A possible rival for the Roomba vacuum – which to date has been the most successful robotic home consumer product produced despite being in its 20th year.
Whatever these early prototypes end up becoming, it’s clear that smart devices are a major focus for big tech – and that poses a cybersecurity threat all by itself.
The impact of consumer robotics on cybersecurity
As the Internet of things continues to develop, electronic devices other than computers and mobile phones, that are both connected to the internet and sync with our other devices, are becoming the norm.
Given that we live at a time when cybercriminals have managed to carry out daring hacking attempts – even using the water monitor in a casino’s fish tank – the potential for denial of service attacks and takeover attempts on household robotic items could be huge.
- Apple has generally been good at securing the privacy and personal data of its users, but as hacking attempts become more sophisticated, there’s no telling what cybercriminals could pull off.
- Rather than placing the blame or expectation of safety on a single manufacturer, internet users should carefully consider what risks they are taking when they buy and use sophisticated consumer products.
As a general rule, if your device sends and receives data, that data needs to be backed up – and that’s where secure cloud storage comes in.
Our range of cloud storage solutions for businesses and households is the ideal place to start when securing your crucial data. Browse our range of packages today to get started,