Apple has released the HomeView, a $299 smart home hub with a 7-inch screen designed to showcase new Siri AI capabilities. The device features facial recognition and integrates with Apple's ecosystem.
Apple announced the HomeView on Tuesday, a new smart home hub featuring a 7-inch screen and powered by Siri AI. The device, which starts at $299 and ships on Nov. 13, is designed to be mounted on a wall or placed on a table. It serves as a voice-controlled hub for Apple devices and highlights the company’s updated Siri abilities.
The HomeView is equipped with an Apple A18 chip and supports up to six users. It uses facial recognition to identify users and display personalized information from Messages, Photos, Calendar, and Reminders apps, powered by Apple Intelligence. According to Apple, the device can also be used for FaceTime calls and as a digital photo frame.
Apple’s chief marketer Greg Joswiak said in a statement that the device “recognizes your face to shift from a household screen to your own experience, fills the room with incredible sound, keeps you connected to the people who matter most with FaceTime, and makes it easy to control your smart home.”
The HomeView acts as a Matter controller and Thread Border Router, allowing it to coordinate with smart home devices from partners such as LG Electronics and Schneider Electric. Users can view camera feeds, adjust thermostats, and lock doors through the device. Setting up new smart home devices requires one tap from a user’s iPhone.
Alongside the HomeView, Apple released a new Apple TV 4K and updated the HomePod Mini. The new Apple TV 4K costs $299, an increase from its previous price of $199. It features a redesigned remote that can play a sound if lost. Apple stated that the price hike for the Apple TV 4K follows comments from former CEO Tim Cook that memory costs for Apple were unsustainable.
The HomePod Mini speaker is now available in new colors and costs $149, up from its previous price of $129. The Verge reports that the HomePod Mini 2 is not ready for Siri AI at launch.
This launch marks the second product event under new CEO John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook in September. While the iPhone remains Apple’s most critical product, the company is positioning these home accessories as a showcase for its new AI capabilities. The Wearables, Home, and Accessories category, which includes AirPods and the Apple Watch, reported $7.88 billion in sales in the quarter ended June, accounting for about 7% of the company’s total revenue.
The introduction of the HomeView signals a strategic shift for Apple under CEO John Ternus, prioritizing home products and ecosystem integration. By leveraging facial recognition and personal context, Apple aims to deepen user engagement within its ecosystem, potentially making it more difficult for customers to switch to Android devices. The launch also highlights the company’s focus on AI-driven features in hardware, despite broader industry challenges such as component shortages in memory and storage.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
The day's checked news, by email
One short email a day with the top stories. Free, and you can unsubscribe in one click.
Or follow for the latest news:
TechTrending
Hyundai Motor has presented the all-new Tucson N Line at the Paris Motor Show, adding sporty design elements to the standard model while retaining its hybrid powertrain options.
TechTrending
Apple announced the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K and the HomePod Mini 2. The new devices feature the A19 and S10 chips respectively, with Siri AI support arriving via software update for the speaker.
