The Apple HomeView is the smart display I’ve been waiting for

Having largely stayed out of the smart-home space until now, Apple today jumped in with both feet, unveiling the Apple HomeView, its first smart display — introduced alongside the Apple HomePod mini 2, a new Apple TV 4K, and a range of smart-home devices — including a video doorbell — produced by partner brands LG and Schneider Electric.

The Apple HomeView is a modern, cute 7-inch Liquid Retina display and smart-home hub that enables you to use the touchscreen or Siri AI voice commands, to control connected devices, play music, check the weather and more.

There are two models: a version with the display sitting atop a speaker unit (shown at the top of the page), to which it's attached by an adjustable arm that enables you to tilt and rotate the display; and a screen-only model that's designed to be wall-mounted. (Image credit: Apple) The HomeView starts at $299 in the US, £299 in the UK, and AU$449 in Australia, with preorders opening today (October 13) ahead of a November 13 on-sale date.

It comes in familiar Apple colors: Silver, Starlight, Rose Pink, and Space Gray.

That price is actually more competitive than I expected, given that rumors had pointed to a price around $350.

While $299 is still $100 more than the Echo Show 8, Apple is clearly pitching the HomeView as its alternative to Amazon's devices — and if you’re already in the Apple ecosystem, there are some compelling reasons to consider it.

As for the hardware, you get a 7-inch Liquid Retina display, a 12MP Ultra Wide Center Stage camera, a four-microphone array, and a multi-driver speaker system in the model with the speaker unit.

Apple’s A18 processor powers the HomeView, though the platform is not iPadOS, tvOS, or iOS — it’s all-new HomeView Software.

The HomeView has features that can rival the likes of the Amazon Echo Show or Google Nest Hub.

And when it comes to the former, it might have the edge for two key reasons: privacy, and integration with the Apple devices you already use every day.

As the rumors and reports suggested, HomeView is reminiscent of the iMac G4 of yesteryear, but feels more refined.

It starts with a face you can set to a variety of clocks — think an Apple Watch face or the screensaver interface on an Apple TV 4K — and some will feel familiar if you’ve used an Apple Watch, though with distinct differences. (Image credit: Apple) Snoopy is back with fresh adventures, and the Flow face is reimagined here so that, rather than simply grooving like a lava lamp, its colorful shapes respond to what the camera up top sees.

You can add complications such as your calendar, to-do lists, and weather, with information adjusting from a general view to more specific details as you approach.