Apple has finally entered the smart display market. At an event in New York on October 13, the company unveiled HomeView, a $299 touchscreen home hub designed to showcase Siri AI, its rebuilt voice assistant. The launch also included new home devices and accessories made with partners. Here is what HomeView does, how much it costs and when it will be available.
Meet HomeView
HomeView is a touchscreen device with a 7-inch display that controls connected smart home devices and serves as a personal hub for music, information and more. It comes in tabletop and wall-mounted versions. Apple has positioned it against rivals such as Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Nest Hub.
Price and release date
Both versions cost $299 in the U.S. Preorders opened on October 13, and the device ships on November 13. HomeView is launching in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand and India. It is not being sold in the European Union at launch.
Built for Siri AI
Apple describes Siri AI as an entirely new version of its assistant. It offers more conversational answers, broader general knowledge and better music discovery. Conversations started on HomeView can continue on an iPhone or iPad. The upgraded Siri began rolling out on iPhones last month.
It knows who you are
HomeView uses facial and voice recognition to tell household members apart, recognizing up to six people. It then shows each person a personalized screen and set of apps, drawing on information from their iPhone or iPad. This lets Siri give answers tailored to whoever is using it.
Powered by the A18 chip
Inside, HomeView runs on Apple’s A18 chip, the same family of processors used in recent iPhones. Apple says the chip powers Siri AI on the device and provides the security needed for a home product that handles a household’s personal information.
Siri AI in beta
Siri AI is launching in beta on HomeView, with daily usage limits on some features that rely on cloud processing. Basic functions, including smart home controls, music playback and general requests, will work as normal. Setting up HomeView also requires a compatible iPhone or iPad.
More home devices
Apple also introduced a new HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K. The Apple TV gets Siri AI in beta at launch, while the HomePod mini will receive it in a later software update. It also unveiled the Apple Home Collection, accessories made with LG and Schneider Electric.
A new chapter for Apple
The event was CEO John Ternus’s first product launch outside the iPhone since he succeeded Tim Cook in September. Analysts see HomeView as a key test of whether Siri AI can help Apple catch up with rivals in artificial intelligence and gain ground in the smart home market.
