I Tried Out Apple’s HomeView Smart Display

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Apple has announced HomeView, its first smart home display, and The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy tested the device ahead of its release. The $299 display offers Apple Home controls, camera feeds, FaceTime and Siri features; some AI functions were shown in demonstrations rather than tested directly.

Apple has announced HomeView, its first smart home display, and The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy has tried the $299 device ahead of its release. The 7-inch touchscreen is designed to control Apple Home devices, show camera feeds and run Siri and FaceTime features, with shipping scheduled to begin November 13.

Tuohy described the HomeView as smaller than she expected, with a 7-inch square Liquid Retina display that nearly conceals its small aluminum speaker base. She said the screen was bright and responsive, and could show photos or one of dozens of “faces,” many resembling Apple Watch displays. Apple will offer tabletop and wall-mounted versions.

A dedicated Home Widget face brings controls from the Apple Home app onto the display. During her hands-on, Tuohy tapped to control a thermostat and door lock and activate a scene. She also viewed live feeds from HomeKit Secure Video cameras and accessed nearby accessories. When she attempted to unlock a door, the device required authentication with her face or iPhone.

Using HomeView involves swiping between faces, widgets and apps. The apps populate automatically from the user’s phone, according to the report. Swiping down opens a control center, where Tuohy said users can enable the 12-megapixel camera. Apple’s guided cooking feature can transfer a recipe from an iPhone using Handoff and display its steps with timers; Apple said most recipes using Google formatting should work.

A New Control Point for Apple Home

HomeView puts Apple Home controls on a dedicated screen, making common tasks available through walk-up taps rather than requiring someone to find and use an iPhone. The wall-mounted option could serve as a fixed household control panel, while the tabletop model adds a screen for recipes, video calls and personal information.

The report also points to a possible change in how Apple’s smart home works with its other services. In a demonstration, Siri used information from a message and travel time estimates to schedule a coffee maker before a visitor was expected to arrive. If the feature works reliably in everyday use, it could connect personal context with home automation. However, Tuohy did not test that capability herself, so the demo does not establish how well it performs outside the presentation.

At $299, HomeView is a dedicated purchase rather than a feature added to an existing phone or tablet. Its usefulness will depend on how well the screen, Siri and Apple Home controls fit into household routines, and on whether buyers want a fixed Apple device in a shared space.

Apple’s First Home Display

The announcement makes HomeView Apple’s first smart home display, according to The Verge’s report. The device draws on the existing Apple Home app for smart-home controls and pairs that interface with a larger, always-available screen. Its camera and FaceTime functions also extend it beyond a dedicated controller.

The hands-on account was based on a limited opportunity to use the device. Tuohy tried selected controls and features, while some Siri capabilities—including retrieving a message about a flight and using that information to schedule a routine—were presented in a demo. The report says preorders are open and lists November 13 as the start of shipping.

“The first thing that struck me about the HomeView was its size. It’s much smaller than I expected.”

— Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge

Everyday Siri Performance Is Untested

The hands-on report covers only a selection of HomeView’s features. Tuohy said she did not personally test Siri’s use of personal context; the airport-message and coffee-maker routine were shown in a demonstration. The report does not establish how consistently Siri can retrieve relevant details, calculate travel times or carry out requested automations in ordinary use.

It also remains unclear how well the cooking display will handle recipes outside the formats Apple says it supports. Tuohy specifically raised the question of recipes from TikTok, but the report provides no test result. Broader details about performance, battery or power requirements, software support and availability beyond the announced shipping date are not provided in the source material.

Shipping Begins November 13

Apple has opened preorders at $299, with shipping set to start November 13, according to The Verge. Tuohy said she had only tried a few features and was looking forward to testing more. Wider use and further testing will show whether Siri’s personal-context functions, recipe transfers and smart-home controls work as presented.

Key Questions

What is Apple HomeView?

HomeView is Apple’s first smart home display. It combines a 7-inch square touchscreen with Apple Home controls, Siri features, camera viewing and FaceTime.

How much does HomeView cost?

The reported price is $299. The source says preorders are open.

When does HomeView ship?

The Verge report says shipping begins November 13.

Can HomeView control smart-home devices?

Yes. In her hands-on, Tuohy used the Home Widget to control a thermostat and door lock, activate a scene and view HomeKit Secure Video feeds. Door unlocking required authentication with her face or iPhone.

Did the reporter test Siri’s personal-context features?

No. Tuohy saw a demonstration in which Siri used a message about a flight to estimate an arrival and schedule a coffee maker. She said she did not get to try that feature herself.

Source: rss