Apple's HomeView nails the hardware, but the software needs work
Apple's first smart display earns praise for its elegant design, vibrant display, impressive sound, and intuitive smart home controls. However, its $299 price, inconsistent Siri, and limited apps hold it back. Perhaps most intriguing is Apple's attempt at facial recognition without Face ID, which has raised privacy concerns after reviewers found family members could access each other's personal…
Apple has recently released the Apple HomeView, a smart display that has garnered attention for its sleek design and user-friendly interface. However, despite its attractive appearance, the device falls short of expectations when compared to its competitors, particularly Amazon's offerings. Amazon has a more extensive history in creating smart home devices and AI, which puts it ahead of Apple in this regard.
Upon testing the HomeView alongside an Amazon smart display, it became apparent that there were several missing features. The HomeView excels at music playback and integrates seamlessly with iPhones, but lacks the comprehensive features found in Amazon's smart displays. The device has been available for purchase since November 13, 2026, with a price of $299, coming in two versions: a freestanding model and a wall-mounted option with additional accessories.
The HomeView's design is distinctive, featuring a small aluminum cylinder base with a rounded top that houses the display. Its compact size makes it a suitable fit for limited counter space. The display measures 7 inches diagonally but offers only 6.4 inches of usable space due to the bezels. Despite its small size, the display provides a high resolution of 1088-by-1088 pixels, resulting in excellent photo quality.
Moreover, the device's speakers and down-firing woofer deliver strong bass, making it capable of playing loud music.
The device's camera, known as Center Stage, was adequate for FaceTime calls and featured the useful Center Stage function for tracking motion during conversations. However, the HomeView's homescreen proved to be more limited than that of its Amazon counterpart. While both devices offer smart home control and camera views, the HomeView's Modular face is unable to display all desired information due to its size constraints.
Furthermore, the device relies on widgets, many of which are not optimized for the HomeView, resulting in limited functionality and extra steps to access certain apps.
Despite its shortcomings, the HomeView offers a unique design and solid music playback capabilities. However, when compared to Amazon's smart displays, it falls short in terms of features, usability, and overall performance.
Written by urgent.news from Tom's Guide's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
