The HomeView and Echo Show 16 could be the family computers I’ve been asking for
Three years ago, I wrote an obituary for the smart display. The category - smart speakers with touchscreens attached - was stuck with a few underpowered gadgets from Google and Amazon that tried to do too much and did too little well. Back then, I also laid out what they needed to do to improve. […]
Three years ago, writer lamented the demise of smart displays, which were plagued by underpowered hardware and limited software. However, Apple and Amazon recently launched new smart displays that address these shortcomings, potentially turning the smart display into a family computer. The new $299 HomeView from Apple and $499.99 Echo Show 16 from Amazon boast computer-class hardware and user-friendly interfaces, making them suitable for shared use throughout the household.
Apple's device relies on its A18 chip and Liquid Retina display, while Amazon's utilizes a MediaTek processor and Nanomatte display.
These devices cater to the growing need for a central hub to manage household information, such as calendars, grocery lists, meal plans, and chores. They offer a more cohesive experience for shared usage compared to previous individual-focused devices. While both feature computer-class hardware and user-friendly interfaces, the companies take different approaches to household integration.
Apple's HomeView is designed to work in tandem with an iPhone, leveraging personal context for features like knowing when a friend arrives and turning on a coffee machine. In contrast, Amazon's Echo Show 16 is built to understand the household as a whole, incorporating features like meal planning, a full Fire TV, and a color-coded household calendar.
The premium-priced Echo Show 16 offers broader features for the entire household, making it a more comprehensive solution at a higher cost.
Written by urgent.news from The Verge's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
