Apple is selling its first smart display, the HomeView, for $299 in the United States, £299 in the United Kingdom, and AU$449 in Australia, according to TechRadar.
The device ships on Friday and includes Siri AI for the first time in an Apple smart speaker.
The HomeView features a 7-inch square Liquid Retina LED display. This screen has a resolution of 1088 x 1088 and a brightness limit of 500 nits. It also includes TrueTone technology, per TechRadar.
The device has a smaller footprint than the Nest Hub, The Verge reports. People can choose between a tabletop model or a wall-mounted version.
The tabletop model weighs 952 grams, Engadget said. It includes a woofer and passive radiators to balance full-range drivers with extra bass.
The wall-mounted version is lighter at 286 grams. It uses two custom drivers instead of the elaborate setup found in the standard model, per TechRadar.
Apple offers several Schneider Electric accessories for wall mounting:
- A USB-C wall mount with a 2-meter cable for $59.99, according to The Verge.
- A hardwired AC mount for $79.99.
- A power-over-Ethernet option for $129.99.
The HomeView can be personalized for up to six people. It connects to individual iCloud accounts so users access their own schedules and messages.
The device uses ambient face and voice data to switch between users, WIRED reports. A user can ask about their own schedule. But they will be blocked from accessing a roommate’s private texts or travel plans.
Apple did not use FaceID for authentication because the device must switch quickly between users. Instead, the HomeView uses a new “Secure Exclave” to manage video and audio data for person recognition, WIRED notes.
A security check supplements this architecture. It requires an iPhone or iPad to be on the same Wi-Fi network and recently unlocked via PIN or FaceID.
Apple said in a blog post that they used formal verification to vet the microkernel for the Secure Exclave. This “both benefits our newest features and strengthens the security of features we already ship, such as ‘Hey Siri’ detection,” WIRED reports.
The device requires an iPhone to maximize its utility. This helps users use Siri AI and Personal Context, according to TechRadar. It supports Apple Home and Matter with built-in Thread connectivity. It lacks native Zigbee support, TechRadar adds.
Siri AI allows for hands-free smart home management. Users can create morning routines through voice commands.
The video experience is limited. Because it runs on the same platform as CarPlay, most third-party streaming apps are unavailable. The only native video application is Apple TV, Engadget reports. It displays content in a thin band across the square screen.
The HomeView supports Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos. It can also function as part of a multiroom system with HomePod or AirPlay-compatible speakers, per Engadget. Users can use Handoff to transfer audio from an iPhone to the display by placing the phone in front of it.
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