Apple is making a major move into the smart‑home arena. On Tuesday it unveiled the long‑rumored HomeView hub, which can serve as a central controller for smart devices, handle FaceTime calls, play music, stream videos, show photo slideshows and more.
The $299 unit resembles a cuboid HomePod but adds a front‑facing screen. It comes in two form factors – a countertop model and a wall‑mount version – each 7 inches wide, with a single front FaceTime camera, microphones and speakers in the base, and no rear camera.
Apple has preloaded the hub with Calendar, Messages, Photos, FaceTime, Notes, Reminders, Music and Podcasts, so users can check appointments, send messages, play music or view photos without picking up their iPhone.
The company sees the device as especially handy in the kitchen – a cook could pull up a recipe, watch a tutorial, glance at a calendar or start a FaceTime call without reaching for a phone.
An interesting feature is multi‑user recognition. HomeView runs the updated Siri AI and can identify individual household members; when it recognizes someone, the display shows that person’s messages, contacts, calendar, notes and preferred apps, automatically switching when another family member approaches.
With HomeView Apple enters a more direct rivalry with Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Nest Hub smart displays.
Apple’s smart‑home track record has been uneven – the HomePod, for example, never matched the popularity of rivals – but this hub offers a chance to change that by merging home controls with Apple’s broader ecosystem.
Rumors about the device have circulated for a while, with delays reportedly tied to Siri AI problems that also impacted Apple’s wider smart‑home plans.
This may be just the first step; Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has suggested a future version could include a robotic arm to move the screen and enable more physical interaction.
Pre‑orders begin today, and the hub will be available for purchase starting November 13, offered in silver, starlight, rose pink and space gray.