Apple's HomeView smart display goes on sale
What's the story
Apple's first smart display, the HomeView, has gone on sale in India and other markets today. The device comes with a 7-inch touchscreen and Siri AI, Apple's revamped voice assistant. It can play music, make FaceTime calls, provide recipe guidance, and control smart home devices while keeping individual messages and calendars private. The HomeView is priced at ₹39,900 in India.
Personalization
Device can recognize up to 6 people
The HomeView can recognize up to six people by their faces, giving each a personal home screen with their own apps and widgets.
This way, the device switches from household mode to individual mode as you approach it.
However, every profile needs an iPhone or iPad running the latest software for this feature to work.
Security
Data is processed inside secure enclaves on the A18 chip
Apple has assured that camera and microphone data from the HomeView is processed inside Secure Exclaves on the A18 chip, away from apps, software, and even Apple itself.
The device also comes with a 12MP camera (without a physical shutter) that is only used for FaceTime calls and facial recognition.
As for Siri AI, it can answer general questions, handle chained requests, and pull personal context from a paired iPhone.
Smart home integration
It works as a home hub
The HomeView also works as a home hub, Matter controller, and Thread border router.
This means you can control lights, locks, and thermostats with touch or voice commands.
However, Apple has noted that some commands are narrower for now. For instance, you can turn on lights in two rooms with one command but locking the door and changing the thermostat requires two separate commands.
Design details
It comes in 4 colors
The HomeView features an aluminum body with a Liquid Retina display and a domed speaker base connected by a stainless steel hinge that tilts to suit different table heights.
It comes in silver, starlight, rose pink, and space gray colors.
The tabletop model has two full-range drivers in the display as well as a down-firing woofer and two force-canceling passive radiators in the base for sound.
Media access
It supports Apple Music and Podcasts
The HomeView supports Apple Music with lyrics, Podcasts, and Apple TV. It can also group with HomePods for multiroom audio.
However, third-party video apps are not yet supported on the device.
The wall-mounted version of the HomeView needs a mount from Schneider Home to work and is priced at ₹39,900 in India.