This desktop charger turns your iPhone into a robotic AI assistant

Jan 06, 2026 02:59 PM - 5 months ago 145622

Dominic Preston

is a news editor pinch complete a decade’s acquisition successful journalism. He antecedently worked astatine Android Police and Tech Advisor.

CES is packed pinch AI companions and adjunct robots this year, but the DeskMate from Yoona is simply a clever return connected the idea: it’s a desktop charging hub, pinch 3 USB-C ports, 1 USB-A, and a MagSafe pad, that automatically activates an AI companion app erstwhile you connect your iPhone to the wireless charger.

What’s unsocial astir the DeskMate is that by utilizing your phone, it takes advantage of tech you already have. It doesn’t request its ain display, camera, aliases microphone, because the iPhone provides them (and it is, for now, iPhone-only). By providing charging too, it mightiness switch a charger that’s already connected your desk, alternatively than adding to the clutter.

The guidelines rotates and tilts, truthful that the DeskMate keeps looking astatine you arsenic you talk to it. It’s sewage cute, Pixar-y eyes, but still has applicable features for illustration Slack integration and gathering assistance.

Photo of Loona DeskMate without iPhone astatine CES 2026

DeskMate is expected to motorboat successful a crowdfunding run successful March, but my large hesitation is the price. There’s nary last fig yet, but the institution told maine it will beryllium “below $300,” which is steep for a instrumentality that’s already piggybacking connected your phone.

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