I Tried Out Apple’s HomeView Smart Display
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Apple has announced the HomeView, a $299 smart home display with a 7-inch touchscreen, Siri and controls for compatible home devices. The Verge’s hands-on report describes its interface and demonstrations of personal-context Siri and recipe handoff, but says several features still need testing.

Apple has announced the HomeView, its first smart home display, and The Verge has tested the $299 device ahead of its planned November 13 shipping date. Apple’s smart home hub could arrive next month. The 7-inch touchscreen is designed to control connected home devices, show camera feeds and run Siri features from a shared household screen, part of Apple’s expected smart home push.

The Verge’s hands-on report describes a 7-inch square Liquid Retina display above a small aluminum speaker base. The screen appeared bright and responsive during the test, and the device can sit on a counter or be mounted on a wall. Apple offers both tabletop and wall-mounted versions.

Home controls appear through a dedicated widget based on Apple’s Home app, amid reports that Apple is preparing a broader smart home push. In the report, the reviewer used it to control a thermostat, activate a scene and view HomeKit Secure Video camera feeds. When the reviewer tried to unlock a door, HomeView required authentication with a face or iPhone rather than completing the action with a tap alone.

The interface relies on swipes between customizable faces, widgets and apps. The reviewer also saw demonstrations of Siri using personal information from messages and calendar appointments to answer a question about a visitor’s arrival and set a coffee-maker routine. The report says that feature was demonstrated, not independently tested by the reviewer.

At a glance
reportWhen: Announced with preorders open; shipping…
The developmentApple announced its first smart home display, the HomeView, and The Verge published a hands-on report ahead of its November 13 shipping date.

A Shared Screen for Apple Home

HomeView gives Apple households a dedicated, walk-up control point instead of requiring someone to find an iPhone to adjust devices or check a camera. Its wall-mount option could make those controls accessible in a common area, while the tabletop model is intended for places such as a kitchen counter.

The more consequential promise is Siri’s ability to connect personal information with home actions. In Apple’s demonstration, Siri used a message about a flight and a transit estimate to schedule a coffee maker. If the feature works reliably beyond a demo, it could make smart-home routines easier to set up through conversation. The hands-on report does not establish how often that will work or what information Siri can access in everyday use.

At $299, HomeView is also a substantial purchase for a device whose value depends on a household’s existing Apple and smart-home setup. The report shows what the interface can do, but does not provide a full review of performance, compatibility or long-term usefulness.

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How HomeView Uses Apple Devices

HomeView is presented as a home controller, personal assistant and household hub, bringing elements of Apple’s Home app and other iPhone features onto a larger stationary screen. The Home Widget mirrors controls available in the Home app, according to the report, while swipes lead to additional faces and onboard apps.

The display can also receive a recipe from an iPhone using Handoff. In the demonstration described by The Verge, the recipe was reformatted into onscreen steps with timers. Apple said most recipes using Google formatting would work with the feature; the reviewer had not tested how it handles recipes from services such as TikTok.

Other demonstrations included a FaceTime call using Center Stage and a request to play a song mentioned in a friend’s text message. The reviewer reported that the song took about eight seconds to appear. These demonstrations point to HomeView’s broader pitch: combining home controls with familiar Apple services on one screen.

““The screen almost entirely hides the small aluminum base that acts as a speaker.””

— The Verge reviewer

Features Still Awaiting Testing

The hands-on account covers only a limited set of features. The reviewer saw Siri’s use of messages and calendar information in a demonstration but did not try it independently. Its accuracy, privacy controls and performance in less structured requests are not established by the report.

Compatibility also remains an open question. Apple said most recipes using Google formatting should transfer, but the report does not say how well HomeView handles recipes from other sources. The account does not give battery or power details, a full list of supported accessories, or results from extended use. It also does not specify whether the two mounting versions differ in price or features.

Preorders and November Shipping

Apple has opened preorders at $299, with shipping scheduled to begin November 13, according to The Verge report. More hands-on testing will be needed to establish how Siri’s personal-context features work in daily use and how broadly recipe handoff and home-device controls are supported.

For prospective buyers, the next useful information will be a fuller review covering setup, accessory compatibility, privacy settings, response times and whether the display fits into a household’s existing Apple Home configuration. The report does not provide a date for that testing or additional availability details.

Key Questions

What is Apple HomeView?

HomeView is Apple’s 7-inch smart home display, designed to control connected devices, show camera feeds and provide Siri and other household features.

How much does HomeView cost, and when does it ship?

The reported price is $299. Preorders are open, and shipping is scheduled to start November 13.

Can HomeView control smart locks and cameras?

The hands-on report says its Home Widget can control compatible devices and display HomeKit Secure Video feeds. A door-unlock attempt prompted authentication with a face or iPhone.

What does Siri do on HomeView?

In demonstrations, Siri used information from a message to answer a question about a flight and set a coffee-maker routine. The reviewer did not independently test the personal-context feature.

Does HomeView support recipes?

The report describes an iPhone recipe transferred through Handoff and reformatted as onscreen steps with timers. Apple said most recipes using Google formatting should work, but broader compatibility was not tested.

Source: rss

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