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Apple’s first smart display doubles as a Siri-powered home hub
Apple’s HomeView is the company’s first smart display, combining a screen, speakers and Siri features in a home hub aimed at people who already use Apple devices. Its $299 launch marks Apple’s late entry into a market established by Amazon and Google, and its reliance on an iPhone or iPad makes it most useful to households already invested in Apple’s apps and smart home products.
The tabletop model has a 7-inch, 1,088-by-1,088-pixel display, adjustable tilt and a speaker system with a woofer in its base; a wall-mounted version is also available, with a mount costing about $60. The screen adjusts its brightness from a maximum of 500 nits to 0.3 nits, and the device has a single USB-C power port. Using mirrored apps requires an iPhone or iPad, while making full use of Siri involves granting access to personal data in apps such as Messages, Calendar, Photos and Reminders.
In short
- Apple’s first smart display, HomeView, costs $299.
- It depends heavily on an iPhone or iPad.
- Tabletop and wall-mounted versions have different speaker setups.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A dedicated Apple display could make common home tasks—controlling smart devices, checking calendars and using Siri—more convenient, especially for households already using Apple products. Its screen, speakers and adjustable brightness bring those features into a shared, glanceable hub, while personal-data access may enable more useful assistance when users choose to grant it.
The case against
At $299, with an additional cost for the wall mount, the device may offer limited value compared with established alternatives, particularly for households that do not already rely on Apple’s ecosystem. Requiring an iPhone or iPad for mirrored apps narrows its usefulness, and granting Siri access to messages, photos and other personal information may raise privacy concerns for some users.
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Originally published by Engadget as “Apple HomeView review: A versatile smart display and Siri-powered home hub”.