Apple Tried Hard to Sell Me on the HomeView as a Seamless Smart Home Experience and Succeeded

Apple has unveiled HomeView, a new smart home hub incorporating the latest Siri with Apple Intelligence. The device will be offered in both desktop and wall-mounted versions, starting sales next month. Design-wise, the standard version showcases a floating display with a hinge for angle adjustment, available in Silver, Starlight, Rose Pink, and Space Gray finishes. The wall-mounted variant includes merely the display module, compatible with Schneider Home mounts in Silver or Space Gray.

Featuring a 7-inch LCD screen with 1,088 x 1,088 pixels resolution, HomeView boasts a 220ppi pixel density, reaching 500 nits brightness and dimming to 0.3 nits. True Tone technology adjusts color temperature based on ambient light, while a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating protects the display. Dual full-range speakers enhance audio, enabling Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos and computational sound tuning. Four far-field microphones facilitate voice commands and can detect smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

HomeView incorporates a 12MP f/2.4 ultrawide camera with Center Stage, automatically cropping and tracking users during video calls. Built on Apple’s A18 chip with custom software for smart home integration, Siri with Apple Intelligence manages voice interactions across multiple Apple devices. Identifying up to six household members, HomeView offers personalized options, replying to iMessages and emails for recognized users, and shared content like iCloud photos and music. Each user can customize their home screen with widgets.

The device connects via Wi-Fi 802.11ax with MIMO, Bluetooth 6.0, and Thread networking for smart home compatibility. Priced at $299 for both models, HomeView launches on November 13, though it remains unavailable in the European Union due to Siri AI regulations.