Apple has opened preorders for its new HomeView smart home hub, which is priced at $299. The device features a 7-inch Liquid Retina LCD screen with a brightness range of 0.3 to 500 nits and an integrated speaker base. The display is mounted on a stainless steel hinge and includes a USB-C charging port.
The hub serves as a central control point for up to six family members, allowing them to manage smart home devices via Siri AI. It supports simultaneous streaming of up to nine video feeds. With an iCloud+ subscription, the device provides encrypted recognition of people, pets, and vehicles, alongside video descriptions for HomeKit Secure Video footage.
HomeView uses an integrated camera to identify users and display personalized profiles. Users can sync their profiles with Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhones or iPads to access Messages, Calendar, Reminders, and FaceTime. For those without compatible mobile devices, the hub still provides access to Siri AI for general queries and music discovery.
Siri requests are processed locally or through Private Cloud Compute, ensuring data privacy. The interface automatically adjusts information density based on the user's distance from the screen. The device will officially launch on November 13.
For wall-mounted installations, Apple offers a specific model available in space gray and silver. This version requires an additional wall connector starting at $60 and features custom drivers tuned for wall-mounted audio performance.
