Apple has officially announced HomeView, its long-rumored smart home hub, priced at $299 in the US. It comes in two versions, a tabletop model and a wall-mounted one, both built around a 7-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone that ranges from 500 nits down to just 0.3 nits.
The tabletop model sits on a domed speaker base with a down-firing woofer, attached through a tilting stainless steel hinge. Inside, there's an A18 chip with Secure Exclaves, which Apple says keeps camera and microphone data separate from the rest of the system.
HomeView leans heavily on Apple's new Siri AI, which is still in beta on the device. Personal context features need a paired Apple Intelligence-capable iPhone or iPad, and some server-side features come with daily limits, with paid expanded access planned for later. The hub also recognizes up to six people by face, each with their own Home Screen.
Smart home control covers Matter accessories as well as Apple's new Home Collection, designed with LG and Schneider Electric and arriving in December. Pre-orders are live in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, India, and New Zealand, with Singapore following on October 15 and availability starting November 13. However, HomeView won't be sold in the EU at all, since Siri AI isn't available there yet. The wall-mounted model needs a Schneider Home mount, starting at $59.95.
Source: TechPowerUp News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing