Apple’s new 7-inch HomeView hub combines entertainment, communication and home controls, but will launch without a European release date.
Apple has unveiled HomeView, a new home display that combines entertainment, communication and smart-home controls in a single device. The 7-inch hub is being introduced as a personal interface for individual users as well as a shared screen for the household, with Apple saying pre-orders start immediately and deliveries begin on 13 November. It will not be sold in Italy or the rest of Europe for now, leaving the launch focused on other markets. The company has also set the starting price at $299, according to its product pages and launch materials.
The hardware is built around a Liquid Retina display with True Tone and adaptive brightness that ranges from 0.3 to 500 nits. Apple says the interface changes what it shows depending on how far away the user is, so the screen presents less detail at a distance and more context up close. The unit sits on a speaker base joined by an stainless-steel hinge that allows the display to tilt, while a wall-mounted version is also planned. Colour options include silver, starlight, rose pink and space grey, with matching cables supplied for the tabletop model.
HomeView is designed to recognise up to six people by face, then load a separate Home Screen for each person, complete with their own apps and widgets. Personal content remains isolated, while shared music and photo collections stay available to everyone in the room, including guests. Apple says the device is built around a new version of Siri AI powered by Apple Intelligence, which can handle more natural conversation, understand what appears on screen and, when paired with a compatible iPhone or iPad, use personal data from apps such as Calendar and Messages to carry out tasks. Conversations can also continue on other Apple devices through iCloud synchronisation.
Entertainment and communication are central to the product’s pitch. Apple says HomeView includes a custom audio system with full-range drivers, a down-firing woofer and passive radiators, alongside Spatial Audio support and multiroom playback through AirPlay. It works with Apple Music, Podcasts, News and TV, as well as third-party audio and video apps. For calling and messaging, it supports FaceTime with Center Stage, message replies and Intercom announcements across the home. In the kitchen, Apple says it can turn online recipes into step-by-step instructions and voice-controlled timers.
The device also doubles as a home-control panel. Users can operate cameras, thermostats, lights, locks and blinds by touch or voice, while a camera view can show up to nine video feeds at once. With an iCloud+ subscription, HomeView can identify people, familiar faces, animals, parcels and vehicles, and generate text descriptions from HomeKit Secure Video, all with end-to-end encryption. It can also detect smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and send alerts to an iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch. Apple says the product works with Matter accessories and its newer home ecosystem hardware, but for European buyers there is still no timetable for availability.
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