It will be your hands and feet at home: Apple introduces Siri-powered HomeView

Apple, which has been enhancing its Siri assistant with artificial intelligence, has integrated these features into almost all of its supported devices this year. Now, the eagerly awaited October announcement has taken place, and the Siri-powered HomeView Smart Display has been unveiled.

Aiming to put the smart home ecosystem at the center, Apple launched HomeView within this scope.

According to the company's statement, HomeView is designed to remain permanently at the heart of a digital home, combining entertainment, connectivity, and smart home management in one device. The device stands out with its 7-inch display and built-in speaker system. But that's not all. Let's take a closer look at all of its features.

Apple's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, Greg Joswiak, said in a statement, "Apple HomeView is designed to be shared by everyone in the home, yet feel completely personal to each user." According to Joswiak, the device recognizes your face and transitions from the home screen to your personal experience, lets you stay connected via FaceTime, and makes controlling your smart home easier. At the core of the device is Siri AI and Apple Intelligence, which draw on personal context from your iPhone.

Personalized Experience with Face Recognition

In addition to the above information, HomeView features a 7-inch Liquid Retina display attached to a dome-shaped speaker base with a stainless steel hinge.

 The device comes in four color options — silver, starlight, pink, and space gray — along with a matching color cable. The display can tilt for comfortable viewing on a kitchen counter, nightstand, or desk. Additionally, a separate wall-mounted model, available in space gray and silver, offers the same 7-inch touchscreen display.

The device's screen can adjust its brightness to suit its surroundings, ranging from 500 nits in bright conditions to as low as 0.3 nits in a dark bedroom. In addition, the interface changes based on the user's distance, showing simple information from afar and more detail as you get closer.

Thanks to its face recognition feature, HomeView can support up to six people, each with a personalized Home Screen, apps, and widgets. While personal information is kept separate, shared photo albums and music can be used by the entire household.

Siri and Apple Intelligence Help Out in the Kitchen

One of the focal points of Apple HomeView is making Apple's AI-powered Siri easily and instantly accessible at home. Users can, for example, ask Siri about a recipe without taking their iPhone out of their pocket or pausing what they're doing. When paired with a compatible Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad, users can get information about calendar events or simply add an event by telling Siri about it.

The AI-powered hub also helps out in the kitchen; it can turn online recipes into step-by-step instructions, manage timers with voice commands, and keep track of ingredients. With this device, Apple aims to appeal to users who want an AI-powered device on their kitchen counter that works together with their iPhone, Mac, and iPad.

Entertainment and Smart Home Control

HomeView supports Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Apple News, Apple TV, and compatible third-party audio and video apps. Users can transfer music from their iPhone by bringing their phone close to the screen. The device's audio system consists of two full-range drivers on the display, a downward-firing woofer, and two passive radiators at the base.

FaceTime calls use the Center Stage feature to keep participants framed. The device also serves as a dashboard for controlling smart home accessories. Users can adjust lights, set thermostats, lock doors, and control security cameras. Apple also introduced new Home Collection smart home accessories, including a camera, thermostat, and smart lock, developed in collaboration with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric.

Apple HomeView Price and Release Date

Apple HomeView will go on sale in the US starting at $299. The wall-mounted version will also be sold at prices starting from $299. Pre-orders begin on Tuesday, while the device will go on sale in the US and a few other countries on Friday, November 13. However, since Siri AI is not yet available on iOS, HomeView will not initially be sold in the European Union.