We've learned a few finicky details from Apple's HomeView launch, including how the live security camera tiles work, how photo albums are displayed, and how to mount the display where a light switch used to be.
Apple introduced HomeView on October 13, but some of its smaller features deserve a closer look. Beyond the hardware and Siri AI features covered in our HomeView hands-on, details from the launch demonstrations reveal more about how the device works around the house. AppleInsider's Andrew O'Hara got hands-on time with HomeView during Apple's launch event, and his demonstrations revealed several smaller details about how the display handles security cameras, shared photos, recipes, and smart home controls.
The Home Camera face can display up to nine simultaneous live video feeds instead of static camera snapshots, letting owners monitor multiple rooms, entrances, or outdoor areas without switching between individual cameras. During Apple's demonstrations, the feeds were responsive with little noticeable delay. That was a controlled environment, however, so performance on different home networks and camera configurations remains to be seen. Although many new Apple Home Collection accessories support Matter, the cameras do not use the standard for now. Apple representatives told us the current Matter camera specification has shortcomings involving reliability and security.
HomeView's Photos face also supports shared albums, allowing other people to contribute photos that appear on the display. A user could give HomeView to a parent or grandparent, select a shared album, and keep adding pictures from their own iPhone without manually transferring each photo. That makes it a strong alternative to a dedicated digital photo frame for families already using iCloud Shared Albums. Owners also get smart home controls and other features without needing a separate device on the counter.
Source: AppleInsider · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing