Years of rumors have finally culminated in the 6-inch square HomeView, a portable smart home dashboard that ties into the Apple ecosystem. After a limited first attempt at AI and a reboot, Apple is ready to release its smart home hub. The tablet device has a unique interface that focuses on displaying data more than interacting with it.
Apple calls it HomeView. The name reflects its expected use case: showing users relevant data and controls, all driven by Siri AI running on an A18 chip. There is no App Store, but information and widgets can be contributed by the user's devices. Users can also make FaceTime calls, get messages, or browse with Safari. When not in use, HomeView displays static images, a clock, or other screensavers.
Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, said HomeView is designed to be shared by everyone in the home yet feel personal to each user. It recognizes up to six people and delivers a personalized Home Screen with apps and widgets for each one, isolating private content. Homescreens are not yet fully customizable; instead, as rumored, they resemble Apple Watch faces, with complications and similar features. Joswiak said the device is powered by Apple Intelligence with Siri AI at its core, drawing on personal context from the iPhone while keeping information private and secure.
The wall-mounted version attaches using three purpose-built mounts from Schneider Home, and it is unclear whether it uses a standard VESA mount. Apple says two custom full-range drivers deliver room-filling Spatial Audio. The desk model adds a down-firing woofer and two force-cancelling passive radiators in its base, making it more like a HomePod mini than a full-size HomePod. HomeView also works with a new lineup of smart home cameras, thermostats, and a lock designed in collaboration with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric, known as the "Apple Home Collection."
Source: AppleInsider · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing