TL;DR
Get decor and gifts delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Apple has announced the HomeView, its first smart home display, and The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy tried it ahead of its planned Nov. 13 shipping date. The $299 device combines a 7-inch touchscreen, Apple Home controls and Siri features, but several capabilities were shown in demos rather than tested hands-on.
Apple has announced the $299 HomeView, its first smart home display, and The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy has tested the device ahead of its planned Nov. 13 shipping date. The 7-inch touchscreen is designed to control Apple Home devices and provide Siri, video calls and other household features, though some of the most ambitious Siri functions were shown in demonstrations rather than tried directly.
Tuohy describes the HomeView as a compact display with a 7-inch square Liquid Retina screen and a small aluminum base that also serves as a speaker. The display appeared bright and responsive during the hands-on. Apple offers both tabletop and wall-mounted versions, and the report says the screen can show photos and a selection of customizable faces, many styled like Apple Watch faces.
For smart home use, a dedicated Home Widget brings controls from Apple’s Home app onto the larger screen. Tuohy used it to control a thermostat and door lock and activate a scene. The display can also show live feeds from HomeKit Secure Video cameras; tapping a camera can surface nearby accessories, such as a garage door control. When she tried to unlock a door, the HomeView required authentication using her face or iPhone.
The interface relies on swipes to move among faces, widgets, apps and settings. The report also describes a built-in 12-megapixel camera, FaceTime with Center Stage, and a recipe feature that transfers a recipe from an iPhone using Handoff. The recipe is reformatted for the screen and can include timers within the steps. Apple says most recipes using Google formatting should work, according to the report.
A New Screen for Apple Home
The HomeView puts Apple Home controls on a screen intended for walk-up use, rather than requiring someone to find and operate an iPhone. That could make routine tasks—checking a camera, adjusting a thermostat or starting a scene—more accessible to people sharing a home. The wall-mounted option also positions the device as a fixed control point, while the tabletop version is aimed at spaces such as a kitchen counter.
Its broader promise depends on how well Siri connects household devices with personal information. In a demonstration described by The Verge, Siri used a message about a traveler’s arrival, estimated transit time and set a coffee-maker routine. That points to a possible expansion of Apple Home beyond direct device controls, but it is a demonstrated capability, not a feature the reporter independently tested. The $299 price also makes the device a notable purchase for households weighing a dedicated display against using existing phones or tablets.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How HomeView Fits Apple’s Ecosystem
The HomeView is built around Apple’s existing Home app and HomeKit Secure Video ecosystem. The Home Widget is described as a larger-screen version of Home app controls, while the display’s apps automatically populate from the user’s phone. The report depicts the product less as a general-purpose tablet and more as a household interface that brings together home controls, voice assistance and selected personal tasks.
The hands-on also highlights ties to other Apple features: iPhone-to-display Handoff for recipes, FaceTime for calls and Siri access to messages and calendar information. Tuohy did not test the personal-context Siri use herself; she watched a demonstration. Her report says a separate demo used Siri to find and play a song mentioned in a friend’s text, which took about eight seconds. These examples indicate what Apple showed, but do not establish how consistently the features will work in everyday use.
“The first thing that struck me about the HomeView was its size.”
— Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge
smart home display with touchscreen
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
What the Hands-On Did Not Verify
The report is based on a limited hands-on session, and Tuohy says she tried only some of the HomeView’s features. She did not personally test the personal-context Siri functions; the travel-planning and song-search examples were demos. The report does not establish how reliably Siri can access messages and calendar details, interpret requests, or coordinate actions across different devices once the product is in customers’ homes.
Other open questions include how broadly the recipe transfer will work beyond recipes using Google formatting, how the device performs over extended use, and what smart-home devices or services it supports beyond the examples shown. The source does not provide independent testing of battery life, privacy settings, software support duration or performance after launch. Those details should not be inferred from the demonstrations.
Apple HomeKit compatible smart display
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Preorders Before November Shipping
Apple has made the HomeView available for preorder at $299, with shipping scheduled to start Nov. 13, according to The Verge’s report. The next useful test will be how the device performs outside a guided demonstration: whether its controls remain quick to use, how well its Siri features handle ordinary requests, and how easily it fits into homes already using Apple’s smart-home products.
The Verge’s reporter said she was looking forward to testing more of the device. No additional testing results or further product specifications are included in the source material.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
What is Apple HomeView?
HomeView is Apple’s first smart home display, with a 7-inch square touchscreen designed for Apple Home controls, Siri and other household uses.
How much does HomeView cost, and when does it ship?
The Verge reports a price of $299. Preorders are available, and shipping is scheduled to begin Nov. 13.
What smart-home features did the hands-on report describe?
The report describes controls for a thermostat and door lock, scene activation, and live video from HomeKit Secure Video cameras. Unlocking a door prompted authentication with a face or iPhone.
Did the reporter test Siri’s personal-context features?
No. The travel-planning and message-based song examples were demonstrations that Tuohy watched, not features she tested herself.
Can HomeView display recipes from an iPhone?
The report says users can transfer a recipe from an iPhone using Handoff, after which it is reformatted for the display with step-by-step instructions and inline timers. Apple says most recipes using Google formatting should work.
Source: rss
Fall Picks
fall essentials
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
