Apple has finally built the smart display HomeKit fans have been asking for with the HomeView. It comes at a time when Google hasn’t released an updated smart display since 2021, with the Google Nest Hub. So, which device looks best?
We take a look at the price, specs and features to help you choose. Note, we haven’t reviewed the HomeView yet, so this article is based on released specs and information.
Price and design
HomeView costs $299 / £299 for both the tabletop and wall-mounted versions. Pre-orders are open now, with shipping from 13 November in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India. It isn’t on sale in the EU at all, because Siri AI isn’t yet available there.
The wall-mounted model also needs one of three Schneider Home mounts. The USB-C version costs $59.95 and the AC wired version $79.95, with a $129.95 PoE option due in early 2027, so a wall-mounted HomeView really costs closer to $360.
The Nest Hub (2nd gen) costs $99.99 / £89.99 and is still sold and supported, even though it launched five years ago. A successor may be coming, after a “Google Home Display” appeared in the Google Home app in May, but Google hasn’t announced anything yet.
Both have 7-inch screens, but they look nothing alike. HomeView’s square Liquid Retina display sits on a domed aluminium speaker base via a stainless steel tilting hinge, in silver, starlight, rose pink and space grey. Brightness drops from 500 nits to just 0.3 nits for nightstand use, and the interface simplifies itself when you’re across the room.
The Nest Hub is a plainer screen on a fabric-covered base, and it has no camera. That makes it an easy fit for a bedroom, where its Soli radar powers Sleep Sensing and Quick Gestures for pausing music or snoozing alarms with a wave.
HomeView does have a camera. It’s used for FaceTime with Center Stage and to recognise up to six household members, each with their own Home Screen, widgets and private Messages and Calendar content. Apple says camera and microphone data is processed in isolated Secure Exclaves on the A18 chip, but if you’d rather not have a lens in the room, the Nest Hub has the edge.
Features
HomeView has a much more capable speaker setup. The tabletop model puts two full-range drivers in the display for Spatial Audio, with a down-firing woofer and two passive radiators in the base. It also supports multiroom playback alongside HomePod and AirPlay speakers, though the wall model drops to two drivers.
The Nest Hub relies on a single 43.5mm full-range driver. Google says it has 50% more bass than the original Hub, but it’s built for podcasts, timers and background music rather than filling a room.
The headline feature is Siri AI, a rebuilt version of Apple’s assistant that’s more conversational and can answer a far wider range of questions. Paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad, it can also draw on your calendar, messages and playlists. It launches in beta, and HomeView needs an iPhone or iPad for setup.
The HomeView also works with your existing iCloud data, including FaceTime, Home and Calendars. Think of the HomeView as a kind of large Apple Watch for your desktop, and you get the idea. hat
The Nest Hub now runs Gemini for Home, Google’s own conversational assistant. It also works with Android phones and iPhones alike through the Google Home app, while HomeView is effectively off-limits without an Apple device. Siri AI is showing promise in early tests, but Gemini for Home hasn’t been very good in our tests. Currently, the gold standard for smart AI assistants is Alexa+.
For smart home control, both act as hubs for Matter devices via Wi-Fi and Thread. HomeView works with Matter and Works with Apple Home accessories, plus Apple’s new Home Collection of cameras, thermostats and a lock built with LG and Schneider, which arrives from December. Its Home Camera face shows up to nine live feeds, and an iCloud+ subscription adds encrypted recognition of people, pets and packages. It can also alert you when it hears a smoke or CO alarm.
The Nest Hub doubles as a Thread border router and Matter controller, and it’s the natural screen for Nest cameras and doorbells. Some extras, such as alerts for unusual sounds, need a Google Home Premium subscription.
In terms of interface, the Google Nest Hub is voice first, with touch adding fine-tuning, such as adjusting a bulb’s brightness.
The HomeView is much more of a mix, with touchscreen apps (Home, Phone, etc) working in a similar way to the ones on your phone, but with the option to use voice on top.
Verdict: which should you buy?
If your household runs on iPhones, HomeView looks like the smart display Apple fans have waited years for. Face-based profiles, FaceTime, a far stronger speaker and deep HomeKit control justify the premium on paper. Still, Siri AI’s beta label and the £299 price make it worth waiting for reviews before committing.
For everyone else, the Nest Hub is a very old product. Buy an Echo Show instead.
