Apple’s $299 HomeView smart hub is here: 8 highlights, including the wall model

Apple has unveiled its newest smart hub, HomeView, set to launch on November 13 with preorders beginning today. Priced at $299, HomeView serves as a central hub for your Apple smart home, featuring a touchscreen, smart speaker, Siri AI, and advanced security camera capabilities. As a rival to Amazon Echo Show and Google Nest Hub, HomeView aims to provide a generative AI upgrade to the Apple Home system, which has lagged behind competitors in this area.

With Siri AI, the device can hold natural conversations, manage multiple commands simultaneously, maintain context across devices, and answer general questions unrelated to your smart home. Notably, HomeView recognizes up to six people and automatically switches to their personalized home screens when they approach the device. Apple emphasizes the device's commitment to privacy and security, as it utilizes its built-in camera and presence sensors to detect when someone is approaching and allows users to customize their home screen apps and widgets.

Additionally, HomeView supports Matter and HomeKit, enabling compatibility with various smart home devices and accessories. It can connect to up to nine camera feeds simultaneously, displaying HKSV (HomeKit Secure Video) feeds on a single screen for comprehensive home monitoring. HomeView also includes Apple's Intercom feature, which allows for quick communication between family members.

The device sports a large speaker with two full-range drivers, a dedicated down-firing woofer, and spatial audio support, and an optional wall-mounted alternative for the same price. HomeView can be purchased with an extra USB-C wall connector for $60, an AC wire for $80, or a PoE setup for $130.