Apple says HomeView can recognize up to six people in a household and tailor its screen to each one. The $299 smart home hub combines that personalized display with Siri-powered controls, putting Apple in more direct competition with Amazon’s Echo Show line and Google’s Nest Hub.
Apple unveiled HomeView on Tuesday. The 7-inch-wide device can act as a central control point for smart home devices, handle FaceTime calls, play music and videos, display photo slideshows, and more. It looks like a cuboid HomePod with a screen on the front and comes in two versions: one for a countertop and one for wall mounting. A single FaceTime camera sits on the front, with microphones and speakers built into the base.
HomeView comes with Calendar, Messages, Photos, FaceTime, Notes, Reminders, Music, and Podcasts preloaded. Apple says those apps mean users can check an appointment, send a message, play music, or look at photos without reaching for an iPhone. The company sees the hub as particularly useful in places such as the kitchen. Someone making dinner could pull up a recipe, watch a video, check a calendar, or start a FaceTime call without using their phone.
As a smart home dashboard, HomeView lets users ask Siri to view camera feeds, adjust the thermostat, turn on lights, and lock doors. Apple also announced smart home accessories, including a smart deadbolt lock, security cameras, and a doorbell. When someone is at the door, HomeView can chime.
Household profiles are central to HomeView’s pitch. The device runs Apple’s updated Siri AI assistant and can recognize individual people in the home. Once it identifies someone, the screen can show information meant for that person, including messages, contacts, calendar appointments, notes, and preferred apps. The display changes automatically when another family member walks up.
HomeView ties Apple’s home controls to its wider ecosystem, giving the company an opportunity to change its fortunes in the smart home market. Amazon and Google already have established smart displays. Apple’s record in the smart home market is mixed: products such as HomePod have struggled to match the popularity of competing devices.
The device had been rumored for quite some time. Reports pointed to delays caused in part by problems with Siri AI, which have also reportedly affected Apple’s broader smart home plans.
HomeView may be the first phase of a larger plan. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has previously reported that Apple could eventually develop a more advanced version with a robotic arm. Such a device could move the display and interact in a more physical way.
Preorders start today, and HomeView will be available to buy from November 13. It comes in four colors: silver, starlight, rose pink, and space gray.
