HomeView is intended to become Apple's smart home hub
Apple is entering the smart home display market with HomeView. However, you cannot buy the new smart home hub in Switzerland for the time being.
Apple introduced a new device for the connected home this afternoon. Apple HomeView is designed to play music, enable video calls, and control lamps, thermostats, and door locks. With this, the Californians are entering into direct competition with Google's Nest Hub and other smart displays.
Two form factors, one square display
HomeView is available as a device for the table or as a version for the wall. Both models use an almost square Liquid Retina screen with a seven-inch diagonal. Inside, an A18 chip is at work. In the table model, the display is located on a speaker base, similar to the model from Google. A hinge allows you to tilt the screen as you wish. For mounting on the wall, you need separate brackets.
The display has an adaptive brightness ranging from a maximum of 500 nits down to 0.3 nits. This means you should be able to place it on your bedside table without it disturbing you while you sleep. Furthermore, the interface visually adapts to your distance. If you are standing further away, the device shows reduced information that is displayed larger. If you move closer, more details and control elements are displayed. Additionally, HomeView measures the temperature, humidity, and ambient light in the room.
Apple has given the HomeView its own interface. In standby mode, it displays large clocks, photos, or widgets, similar to iPhone StandBy. A swipe then takes you to the apps, including familiar ones like Calendar, Apple Music, Photos, Notes, etc. However, there is no dedicated App Store. Nevertheless, compatible audio and video services are expected to run – including those from other providers.
Source: Apple
HomeView for different household members
Different profiles will be possible on HomeView. Up to six people will be able to see their own home screen with matching apps, widgets, and appointments. The device allegedly only shows private content such as messages or calendar entries if it recognizes you and your paired iPhone or iPad meets certain security requirements. In addition, the device must be on the same Wi-Fi network and have been unlocked recently. If you walk out of the frame, HomeView locks the display after a few seconds.
Apple has also built voice control into its new hub. Siri AI answers general questions, searches for music based on descriptions, and can infer context based on what is currently happening on the screen. Here, too, a compatible iPhone or iPad with Apple Intelligence is required for personal functions, such as questions about appointments. Siri AI also starts on HomeView initially as a beta.
Music, FaceTime, and Smart Home
The table model of HomeView contains two full-range drivers as well as a woofer with two passive radiators, including Spatial Audio. With the wall version, you combine these with speakers in the house. This allows you to listen to music or make FaceTime calls. You can also control other smart home devices via voice or touch.
Both camera and microphone data as well as Siri requests are processed in so-called Secure Enclaves or in Apple's Private Cloud Compute.
Prices and availability
Pre-orders for the USA are already possible. Both variants cost 299 US dollars, the wall mount an additional 59.99 US dollars. The colors are: Silver, Starlight, Rose, and Space Gray. The wall version is only available in Silver and Space Gray. Outside of Great Britain, in Europe – the EU and Switzerland – there is still more waiting to be done.
In addition to the new Home Hub «HomeView» and the «Home Collection», Apple has also revised the Apple TV 4K and the HomePod mini. Here you can find an overview of all the news:
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