Apple’s $299 HomeView combines home controls, security monitoring, FaceTime and AI-powered Siri in a fixed display designed for the connected home.
Apple has unveiled HomeView, a new smart home display designed to sit at the centre of the connected home and compete with Amazon’s Echo Show range. The company says the device brings together home control, communication, entertainment and a more capable version of Siri in a single unit aimed at users who want a fixed, always-available screen rather than relying on an iPhone, HomePod or separate accessories.
The device has a 7-inch Liquid Retina screen and is powered by Apple’s A18 chip. According to Apple, the display uses True Tone and adaptive brightness, ranging from 0.3 to 500 nits, so it can dim substantially at night and become easier to read in brighter rooms. HomeView is offered in a tabletop version with a speaker base, and a wall-mounted model; both use the same screen size and launch price of $299. Apple says the device will be available in Silver, Starlight, Rose Pink and Space Grey.
A central part of the pitch is Siri AI, which Apple describes as a more conversational assistant with broader context awareness. The company says the assistant can respond more naturally, understand what is on the screen and handle more complex requests than the earlier version of Siri. When HomeView is paired with a compatible iPhone or iPad that supports Apple Intelligence, the assistant can also work with personal context, such as Calendar entries, messages and apps, while syncing conversations across Apple devices through iCloud. Apple says those personal features require compatible hardware, and Siri AI will launch in beta with English support only, with no date yet for Brazilian Portuguese.
HomeView also uses facial recognition to personalise the interface for up to six people. Apple says each user can see a different home screen, complete with preferred apps, widgets and information. To protect private content, the device requires face recognition and a previously unlocked iPhone or iPad before showing data from apps such as Messages and Calendar. The camera can also be used for FaceTime calls, including Center Stage, which keeps people framed as they move around the room. Apple says the A18 chip processes camera and microphone data in secure environments separated from the rest of the system.
Beyond communication, the device is intended to work as a control hub for compatible home accessories, including lights, locks, curtains and thermostats. Apple says it can display feeds from up to nine security cameras at once, and, with a suitable iCloud+ subscription, identify people, animals, vehicles and parcels in HomeKit-connected camera footage. The company also says it can generate automatic descriptions of recorded clips, detect smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and send notifications to Apple devices. That functionality places HomeView in the growing category of smart displays that combine security monitoring, voice control and media playback.
Audio and media features are also part of the package. Apple says the tabletop model uses two full-range speakers, a woofer and dual passive radiators, while the wall-mounted version uses a different acoustic layout suited to its installation. The device supports spatial audio, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and AirPlay, and can hand off playback from an iPhone when the phone is brought near the screen. It can also act as a digital photo frame with depth effects and reactive visual themes, including Snoopy content. Pre-orders have opened in selected markets, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, India and New Zealand, with shipping due to begin on 13 November.
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