Apple has finally unveiled its long-rumored smart display, Apple HomeView, a $299 home hub built around Siri AI, the new and much more conversational version of its assistant. Alongside it, Apple announced a new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini 2, both designed to work with Siri AI. Pre-orders opened on October 13, and HomeView ships November 13 in the US.
Here is what the new Apple HomeView smart display does, how the rest of the lineup fits in, and what to know before you pre-order.
What Apple HomeView Is
HomeView is a touchscreen hub with a 7-inch square Liquid Retina display. The tabletop model sits on a domed speaker base connected by a stainless steel hinge, so you can tilt the screen. A wall-mounted version offers the same screen and features, with mounts sold separately from Schneider Home.
There are no physical buttons, so you use touch or your voice. The screen dims all the way down to 0.3 nits, which makes it practical on a nightstand, and it can reach 500 nits in a bright room. A 12-megapixel front camera with Center Stage handles FaceTime calls.
Built for the Whole Household
HomeView can recognize up to six people by their faces. Each person gets their own Home Screen, apps, and widgets, while personal content like messages stays private from others. Shared photo albums and music remain available to everyone, including guests.
How Siri AI Works on the HomeView Smart Display
Siri AI is Apple’s rebuilt assistant, powered by the next generation of Apple Intelligence. It can hold more natural conversations, answer general-knowledge questions, and act across apps. On HomeView, it runs on an A18 chip, with requests processed either on the device or through Apple’s Private Cloud Compute.
With a paired Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad, Siri AI can pull personal context from apps like Messages and Calendar. Without one, you still get the broader world knowledge and better music discovery. Apple notes Siri AI on HomeView is labeled a beta, and some server-based features have daily usage limits.
Handy Everyday Features
- Recipes from the web turn into step-by-step instructions with hands-free timers.
- The Home Camera face can stream up to nine camera feeds at once.
- It listens for smoke or carbon monoxide alarms and alerts your iPhone or Apple Watch.
- Intercom sends quick messages to one room or the whole house.
- Handoff lets you move a song from your iPhone by holding it near the screen.
The Rest of Apple’s Siri AI Home Lineup
HomeView is the centerpiece, but Apple refreshed two other home devices on the same day. Here is how they compare:
| Device | Price (US) | Availability | Siri AI Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HomeView (tabletop or wall) | $299 | November 13 | Beta at launch |
| Apple TV 4K (4th generation) | $299 | November 13 | Beta at launch |
| HomePod mini 2 | $149 | October 30 | Coming in a future update |
| Apple Home Collection | $199 to $349 | Starting December | Works with Siri AI hubs |
The new Apple TV 4K adds three far-field microphones, so you can talk to Siri without the remote. Apple says its A19 chip is up to 50% faster on the CPU.
The box also supports a four-speaker surround setup with HomePod mini 2 or second-generation HomePod speakers. The new remote can play a sound when you lose it.
The Apple Home Collection, built with LG and Schneider Electric, adds cameras, a video doorbell, thermostats, and a lock. These connect to HomeView, Apple TV, or HomePod as a home hub.
What This Means for You
If you already live in Apple’s ecosystem, HomeView is the first Apple device built mainly to bring a smarter AI assistant into shared spaces. Before you order, keep these points in mind:
- You need a compatible iPhone or iPad to set it up, and the best Siri AI features require an Apple Intelligence-enabled device.
- HomeView is not sold in the European Union for now, because Siri AI is not yet available in iOS there.
- The new Apple TV 4K costs $299, which is $100 more than the previous model’s starting price, so weigh whether hands-free Siri is worth the jump.
- Camera-based features, like smart video descriptions, depend on an eligible iCloud+ plan.
Privacy is a fair question for any always-on device with a camera and microphones. Apple says camera and microphone data run in isolated Secure Exclaves on the chip.
That is worth comparing with other always-listening assistants you may be considering. If you care about how companies handle this kind of data, our explainer on differential privacy is a good primer.
Sources
Details come from Apple’s official announcements for Apple HomeView, the new Apple TV 4K, and HomePod mini 2, plus hands-on coverage of HomeView and the Apple TV 4K from Engadget. See more stories on our AI news page.
Conclusion
Apple HomeView is Apple’s clearest bet yet that Siri AI belongs at the center of the home, not just on your phone. At $299, it goes up against rivals like the Amazon Echo Show while leaning on face recognition and personal context to set itself apart. The refreshed Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini 2 round out a lineup that all runs on the same assistant. How well it lands will depend on whether Siri AI lives up to its promise once the beta label comes off.
