Apple is taking a big turn in the smart home market. The company on Tuesday unveiled its smart home hub, dubbed HomeView, which can serve as a central control point for smart home devices, be used for FaceTime calls, play music, watch videos, view photo slideshows and more.
The new $299 device looks like a cuboid version of the HomePod, but with a screen added to the front. The HomeView is available in two versions: one can be placed on a counter and the other can be mounted on a wall. Measuring 7 inches wide, the hub features a single FaceTime camera on the front and built-in microphones and speakers at its base.
Apple has preloaded the device with several of its apps, including Calendar, Messages, Photos, FaceTime, Notes, Reminders, Music, and Podcasts. This means users won’t need to use their iPhone if they want to check a calendar appointment, send a message, listen to music or view photos.
Apple considers the device to be particularly useful in places such as the kitchen. Someone cooking dinner, for example, can check a recipe, watch a video, check a calendar, or start a FaceTime call without resorting to their phone.
It will also serve as a smart home dashboard, allowing users to ask Siri to view camera feeds, adjust the thermostat, turn on the lights and lock the doors. This comes as Apple today announced its line of smart home accessories, including a smart deadbolt lock, security cameras and a doorbell. Users will hear a chime coming from their HomeView when someone is at the door, for example.
One of the most interesting aspects of the device is how it works with different members of a household.
The hub runs Apple’s updated Siri AI assistant and can recognize individual people in the home. Once it identifies a person, the screen can display information for that person, such as their messages, contacts, calendar appointments, notes, and favorite apps. The experience automatically changes when another family member approaches the device.
The company says HomeView can recognize up to six people.
HomeView puts Apple in a much more direct fight with Amazon and Google, both of which have already established smart display products: Amazon has its Echo Show line, while Google offers the Nest Hub.
Apple has had a mixed history in the smart home space, however, with products such as the HomePod struggling to reach the same level of popularity as competing devices. The new hub is an opportunity for Apple to change that by combining home controls with the company’s broader ecosystem.
The device has been rumored for some time, with reports of delays caused in part by issues with Siri AI. These issues have also reportedly affected Apple’s broader smart home plans.
This may just be the first phase of Apple’s smart home plan. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman previously reported that Apple could potentially take the concept further with a more advanced version featuring a robotic arm. Such a device could move its screen and interact in a more physical way.
Pre-orders begin today and the device will be available for purchase starting November 13. It is available in four colors: silver, starlight, pink rose and space gray.
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