Apple HomeView Explained: What the $299 Smart Display Does

Apple's HomeView is a 7-inch smart display with Siri AI, face recognition and Matter support. What it does, the hidden costs, and whether you should buy one.

Apple's first smart display, HomeView, goes on sale November 13. Think of it as Apple's answer to the Google Nest Hub and Amazon Echo Show, with Siri AI built in.

What it is

A 7-inch square-ish screen
Runs on the A18 chip
Powered by Siri AI
Two versions: tabletop and wall-mounted
Tabletop colours: silver, starlight, rose pink and space grey. Wall mount: silver and space grey.

What it can do

Recognise up to six people in your home by face, and show each person their own calendar, reminders and info
Control smart home gear with support for Matter and Thread
Show camera and doorbell footage
Display calendar events and the temperature
Change its layout depending on how far away you're standing
Built-in temperature and humidity sensors you can use in Home app automations

What it costs (really)

The price is $299 for either version. But:

The wall-mount version needs a mount, starting at $59.95 for the USB-C option
The wall version doesn't come with a cable or power adapter, and Apple calls for at least 20W

So the wall-mounted one ends up closer to $380 once you've bought everything.

Where it isn't sold

HomeView won't be sold in the European Union, because Siri AI isn't available on iOS there yet.

Should you buy one?

Yes, if:

Your home already runs on Apple Home and you have an iPhone
You want a shared family screen for calendars, cameras and controls
You like Apple's approach to privacy for things like face recognition

Wait, if:

You use Android or Alexa. It's built for iPhone households.
You mostly want a kitchen screen for recipes and video. A cheaper Echo Show or Nest Hub does that fine.
You'd rather see real reviews first. It's a brand-new product.

Building out your home setup? See our streaming device guide.