Apple HomeView: 7-inch Smart Hub with A18 and Siri

Apple announced HomeView, a new smart home hub with a 7-inch touchscreen and the updated Siri powered by Apple Intelligence. The device will arrive in both a desktop model and a wall-mounted display next month, and Apple says users can move conversations started on HomeView to other compatible Apple devices such as an iPhone or iPad, or vice versa.

Design and display

The standard HomeView has a floating 7-inch display on a rounded aluminum base; the screen is hinged and tilt-adjustable. That model will be offered in silver, starlight, rose pink, and space gray, each supplied with a matching cable. The wall-mounted option is the display module only and will be offered in silver and space gray, with a choice of mounts supplied by Schneider Home sold separately.

The display is a 7-inch LCD at 1088 by 1088 pixels and roughly 220 pixels per inch, with a peak brightness of 500 nits and a minimum of 0.3 nits. It supports True Tone, which adjusts color temperature to match ambient light, and carries a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating on the touchscreen.

Audio, camera and connectivity

Both variants include two full-range drivers inside the display unit. The standard desktop model adds a downfiring woofer and dual force-cancelling passive radiators inside the base. Apple supports Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos and says HomeView uses computational audio to retune sound in real time to suit the surroundings. Four far-field microphones handle voice pickup, and the device can recognize smoke and carbon monoxide alarm sounds.

For video calls, HomeView includes a built-in 12 megapixel f2.4 ultra-wide camera that uses Center Stage to crop and follow a subject as they move. Wireless connectivity is listed as Wi-Fi 802.11ax with MIMO, Bluetooth 6.0, and Thread networking.

HomeView is powered by the Apple A18 chip and runs custom software. Siri with Apple Intelligence handles requests on the device, and Apple says conversations can continue across users' compatible Apple devices.

The system can recognize up to six household members and present customized options and information pulled from each person’s Apple devices. Actions such as replying to iMessage texts and email are available only to recognized users. Shared iCloud photo libraries and music may be accessed by anyone, and users can customize the homescreen with personal widgets.

Apple has set the price at $299 for either the standard desktop model or the wall-mounted display; wall mounts are sold separately. Pre-orders open today in Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and from October 15 in Singapore. HomeView will be available to buy on Friday, November 13. Apple says the device will not be sold in the European Union due to regulations around Siri AI.