I Tried Out Apple’s HomeView Smart Display

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Apple has announced HomeView, its first smart home display, and The Verge has published a hands-on report. The $299 device has a 7-inch touchscreen, Home app controls, Siri features and a camera; preorders are open, with shipping scheduled to start November 13.

Apple has announced the HomeView, its first smart home display, and The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy has tested the device ahead of its planned release. The $299 display combines controls for Apple Home devices with Siri, a camera and features for calls and cooking, putting a shared household interface on a countertop or wall.

The HomeView has a 7-inch square Liquid Retina touchscreen and a small aluminum base that serves as a speaker. The Verge’s hands-on report describes the screen as bright and responsive, and says the display can show photos and a range of customizable faces. Apple is offering both a tabletop model and a wall-mounted version.

A dedicated Home Widget face brings controls from the Home app to the screen. In her test, Tuohy tapped the display to control a thermostat, operate a door lock and activate a scene. The interface can also show live feeds from HomeKit Secure Video cameras. When she tried to unlock a door, the device asked her to authenticate with her face or iPhone.

The report describes several other features, including FaceTime with Center Stage and a guided cooking mode. Apple says a recipe opened on an iPhone can be handed off to HomeView and reformatted with step-by-step instructions and timers. Preorders are open, and Apple says shipping will start on November 13. The report does not specify a year for that date.

A Shared Screen for Apple Home

HomeView gives Apple households a walk-up control point separate from an individual’s phone. A person in the kitchen could check a camera feed, adjust a thermostat or start a household scene by tapping the screen, while the wall-mounted version offers another placement option.

The more ambitious pitch is Siri’s connection between personal information and home controls. In a demonstration observed by Tuohy, Siri used a message about a traveler’s arrival, estimated transit time and set a coffee-maker routine. If that capability works reliably beyond the demo, it could let people coordinate household actions through ordinary requests. The report’s author did not test this feature herself, so its everyday performance remains unverified.

What the Hands-On Covered

The Verge’s report is an initial hands-on account, not a full review. Tuohy tried core touchscreen controls and saw demonstrations of Siri, recipe handoff and FaceTime. She said she had only been able to test a few features and planned to try more.

HomeView’s interface draws on Apple’s existing Home app and iPhone features. The Home Widget, according to the report, presents the Home app’s controls on a larger screen, while gestures move between faces, app widgets and a Control Center. Apps on the device populate from the user’s phone. This makes the display an extension of Apple’s ecosystem rather than a separate smart home platform, based on the features described in the report.

““The first thing that struck me about the HomeView was its size.””

— Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge

Siri and Recipe Support Still Need Testing

The report does not establish how well HomeView’s personal-context Siri works in routine use. The arrival-time and coffee-maker example was a demonstration, not a feature Tuohy tested herself. It also remains unclear how the system handles privacy, what information it can access, and whether the demonstrated actions require particular settings or compatible devices.

Recipe compatibility is another open question. Apple says most recipes using Google formatting should work, but the report does not provide a compatibility list or results for recipes from platforms such as TikTok. The hands-on account also does not assess long-term performance, sound quality, battery or power arrangements, or how the device compares with alternatives in everyday use.

Preorders and Further Testing

Apple has opened preorders at $299 and says HomeView shipments will begin November 13. The Verge’s reporter said she expected to test more of the device’s features, including those not covered in the initial hands-on. Further testing should clarify how Siri’s personal-context functions behave outside staged demonstrations and how well recipe handoff and smart home controls work across different households.

Apple has not provided further release details in the source report, including the year attached to the November 13 shipping date. Buyers will also need more information from product testing to judge practical performance, compatibility and whether the display’s controls suit their existing smart home setup.

Key Questions

What is Apple HomeView?

HomeView is Apple’s first smart home display. It combines a touchscreen interface for Apple Home controls with Siri, a camera and features such as video calls and guided cooking.

How much does HomeView cost?

Apple lists the device at $299, according to The Verge’s report.

When does HomeView ship?

Apple says shipping is scheduled to start on November 13. The source report does not specify the year.

Can HomeView control smart home devices?

Yes. The Verge’s reporter used the Home Widget to control a thermostat and door lock, activate a scene and view HomeKit Secure Video camera feeds. Unlocking the tested door required face or iPhone authentication.

Has Siri’s personal-context feature been independently tested?

Not in the reported hands-on. Tuohy saw a demonstration in which Siri used a message and travel information to schedule a coffee maker, but said she did not test the feature herself.

Source: rss