All about the Home View, Homepod mini, Apple Home Collection and more.
Apple
Apple is making a bigger push into the smart home domain. The company invited press and creators to a “Welcome Home” event in New York City on Tuesday to reveal a batch of fresh products, and we’ll break it all down for you right here.
Among those was a long-anticipated device in the shape of Apple’s first smart home hub. In addition, we have refreshed versions of the Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini. That’s not all, because Apple talked up a whole ecosystem of smart home products.
We’ll be updating this story as swiftly as we can with all of the key details about the new gear. Let’s dive into everything Apple announced at its Welcome Home event.
Home View smart home hub
We’ve heard rumors for years that Apple was working on an iPad-style display from which you’d be able to manage smart home devices. It was described as the company’s answer to Amazon’s Echo Show or Google’s Nest Hub. Reports suggested it would be called the HomePad, but thankfully Apple steered clear of causing any confusion with the HomePod. Instead, the device is called the Home View.
This gizmo has a seven-square-inch Liquid Retina touch display — perhaps paving the way for the touchscreen MacBook that’s said to be coming very soon — that’s attached to a base with a speaker. There are two variants. You can place one on a table or countertop and mount the other to a wall. The audio for the latter is said to be tuned for wall placement.
The device is powered by Apple Intelligence and it has Siri AI baked in. (Reports suggested that Apple put Home View on ice until the delayed Siri AI was ready.)
Home View can recognize the face of the person who’s interacting with it, and automatically switch from a shared household screen to a customized interface for that individual. This should mean the user will have access to their own notifications and calendar, as it can tap into harness personal context from their iPhone. You’ll be able to have Apple Watch-style custom “faces” on Home View that feature things like weather details, some favorite photos and Snoopy animations.
Apple says it designed Home View to keep users’ information secure and separate. The company stressed that it doesn’t track or sell your data to others.
Among other things, Home View supports FaceTime calls. Entertainment options include music, podcasts and video streaming, and Apple says you can follow recipes while you’re cooking.
The Home View costs a surprisingly reasonable $299 for both the tabletop and wall-mountable versions. It comes in four relatively muted color options: silver, starlight, rose pink and space gray. Pre-orders open today and it’ll ship on November 13. Home View is initially available in English in eight countries.