Finally, after years of rumours, the Apple HomeView has launched. While it may be easiest to think of this as Apple’s take on the Echo Show, the HomeView is a different type of smart device that directly integrates with your existing services, alongside smart devices and more.
Wondering what the new display can do? Read on to find out everything.
Versions and specs
Apple HomeView is available in two versions: HomeView and HomeView (Wall Mounted). Both cost £299 / $299 and are available for pre-order now.
The two versions differ in a few ways, starting with colour options. With the standard, you get four colours: Silver, Starlight, Rose Pink, Space Grey; go for the wall-mounted option, and you can have Silver and Space Grey only.
The stand version also has a more powerful audio system with two custom full-range drivers, a custom down-firing woofer and dual force-cancelling passive radiators. With the wall-mounted version, you get the two custom full-range drivers only.
Rather than going for a widescreen display, Apple has fitted the HomeView with a 7-inch Liquid Retina Screen. With a square resolution of 1088 x 1088, the display is arguable more like a giant Apple Watch than an Apple version of an Echo Show.
Internally, there’s an A18 processor, plus 12MP Center Stage camera.
What can the HomeView do?
While the Echo Show is definitely a voice-first smart display, the Apple HomeView is a combination of the two, with a smart touchscreen interface that holds apps and widgets, much like your iPhone or iPad.
There’s no mention of an app store, and at launch the HomeView supports familiar Apple apps and services, including FaceTime, Messages, Calendar, Music and Home, sharing your data across all of your Apple devices.
With these apps you can message people, have a video call and control your smartphone all without having to reach for your phone. Think of the HomeView as a companion to your phone, rather than a replacement, much like the Watch is.
Of course, as Apple is so widespread, FaceTime video calling is a lot more useful than video calling on an Echo Show.
With facial recognition built-in, the HomeView can spot different family members and show personal content to each, with a more basic home screen for more general information.
In addition to the touchscreen, the HomeView is powered by Siri AI, the GenAI upgrade to the voice assistant. Based on early impressions on an iPhone, Siri AI is much better than regular Siri, understanding more of what you ask. Is it as good as Alexa+? We’ll have to wait until launch.
The HomeView can also be used as a smart clock, with its display able to dim down to 0.3 nits, so you can use it in your bedroom without it lighting the room up.
Smart home compatibility
The HomeView is compatible with all devices connected to Apple Home, whether that’s via HomeKit or via Matter. There’s Thread built-in, so you can connect compatible devices directly to it. And, like the HomePod and HomePod mini, the HomeView also acts as a home hub, giving you remote control of devices when you’re out of your home network.
With a wider range of Matter devices available, the device support for Apple Home has become a lot better, but without the option to cloud-connect devices, the total number of smart devices supported is less than on an Amazon Echo.
Apple is hoping to partly counter that with the launch of its own smart devices: a smart lock, doorbell, camera and thermostat. We’ll have to wait until we’ve had a chance to review these products before we can say if they’re any good or not.
Music and more
HomeView supports Apple Music, but you can also use Airplay with other audio and video apps (support not yet confirmed). The device also supports Handoff: just hold your phone up to the display and the current music or call will be transferred, in a similar way to how the HomePod currently works.
What about an app store?
Currently, there’s no app store for the HomeView, which seems like a missed opportunity. Porting iPhone or Watch apps to work here doesn’t sound like it would be too much trouble, and that would increase device compatibility. For example, if there was a Ring app, you’d be able to monitor your cameras, set your alarm and answer your door. Perhaps an app store will come later.
