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Apple has unveiled its smart home hub: HomeView, featuring a seven-inch display, facial recognition for the entire household, and Siri AI as the control center. Pre-orders begin today, with delivery expected in mid-November. However, Apple is not selling HomeView in the EU – and Switzerland is not on the list either.
After several postponements, Apple is launching its own home entertainment system that combines music, FaceTime, calendar, and controls for lights, heating, locks, and cameras in one place. The device was unveiled at the "Welcome Home" event in New York; details are available in the announcement on the Apple Newsroom.
The name matches a trademark application for HomeView that surfaced shortly before the announcement. The delivery date of November 13th also aligns with the timeframe for which Bloomberg had recently indicated a mid-November launch.
Key Facts at a Glance
- HomeView has a 7-inch display and an A18 chip and comes as a desktop model in four colors and as a wall model in two colors.
- The camera recognizes up to six people and displays their own content to each. Personal data only appears if the paired iPhone or iPad is nearby and has recently been unlocked.
- Both models cost $299 in the US. Pre-orders start today, with delivery beginning November 13th.
- Apple does not sell HomeView in the EU because Siri AI is not available on iOS in the EU. Switzerland is also not among the launch countries.
- Siri AI runs exclusively in English on HomeView.
Seven inches in two designs
On the desktop model, the aluminum display sits on a stainless steel hinge above a curved speaker stand and can be tilted. Brightness automatically adjusts between 500 and 0.3 nits, and True Tone is also included. The display adapts to the viewing distance: from a distance, HomeView shows simplified information, while closer viewing reveals more details.
The wall-mounted model uses the same display and offers the same functionality. It is mounted using one of three specially designed brackets from Schneider Home, optionally for self-assembly or installation by a professional.
| Model | Colours | Price USA |
|---|---|---|
| HomeView | Silver, Polaris, Rose Pink, Space Grey | $299 |
| HomeView (Wall Mounted) | Space Grey, Silver | $299 |
| Mounting bracket for the wall model | Price USA | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Power Mount USB-C Wall Connector | from $59.95 | Available to order from today |
| Power Mount AC Wired | from $79.95 | Available to order from today |
| Power Mount PoE Wired | $129.95 | Early 2027 |
A screen that recognizes its users
HomeView uses facial recognition to distinguish up to six people. Each gets their own home screen with apps and widgets; personal content from messages, FaceTime, calendar, reminders, and "Find My" remains hidden from others. Shared photo albums and music, however, are accessible to the entire household, including guests.
Apple requires two conditions for personal content sharing: the person must be recognized, and their paired iPhone or iPad must be nearby and recently unlocked. Setup and multi-user operation already require a compatible iPhone or iPad.
The A18 chip processes camera and microphone data in isolated areas that Apple calls Secure Exclaves. According to Apple, neither the HomeView software nor apps, the user, nor Apple itself have access to the data processed there.
Speakers, dials and camera images
The display houses two full-range speakers, while the base contains a downward-firing woofer and two passive radiators. The wall-mounted model uses two speakers specifically designed for wall mounting. Together with HomePod, HomePod mini, and AirPlay speakers, music can be played in multiple rooms.
The screen offers a variety of watch faces, including a photo view with shared albums, a view that reacts to motion in the room, and one featuring Snoopy. For smart home devices, one view displays favorite devices, while another shows up to nine camera feeds simultaneously. HomeView also detects the sound of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and sends a notification to your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch.
The device will be integrated into the same ecosystem of Matter and Apple Home accessories that the Home app in iOS 27 manages. This will be complemented by the Apple Home Collection, a range of cameras, thermostats, and a lock developed by Apple in collaboration with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric. It is slated for release in December, with individual devices not appearing until early 2027. The fact that Schneider Electric is also involved, alongside LG's devices, was already evident in the iOS 27.2 code.
What has changed compared to the reports?
The chip, form factor, and colors match what was circulating before the official announcement. A leak from October 1st had already referred to the four colors of the desktop model as "Rose Pink." However, the reports regarding display size and price were inaccurate.
| Feature | Status of the reports | According to Apple |
|---|---|---|
| Name | HomePad, most recently HomeView | HomeView |
| Display | Seven inches for months, most recently around six inches | 7 inch |
| Price | estimated at around 350 dollars | $299 |
| Chip | A18 | A18 |
| Delivery | mid-November | November 13 |
The earlier size specification was therefore the correct one, the more recent correction to six inches was not. Apple's price is $51 below the estimate.
No sales in the EU, no launch in Switzerland
Apple explicitly states in its announcement that HomeView will not be sold in the European Union because Siri AI is currently unavailable on iOS in the EU. The company is working constructively with the EU to find a solution. This leaves Germany and Austria without a sales release date.
The exclusion is not based on the HomeView system itself, but rather on iOS – specifically, the iPhone to which the device is paired. How the DMA ( Digital Audio Device) disables Siri AI on iPhones and iPads has been known since June. In HomeView's case, this means that Apple is not offering the device in the EU at all, instead of simply disabling a single function.
Switzerland is not subject to this exclusion; Siri AI already runs on Swiss iPhones. However, it is also not on the list of launch countries.
HomeView is available for pre-order starting today in Australia, Great Britain, India, Canada, New Zealand, and the USA. Pre-orders will open in Singapore on Thursday, October 15th, at 3:00 AM German time. In South Africa, sales will be handled through authorized dealers.
The list exactly matches the eight countries where Siri AI on Home View runs in English. French for Canada is expected to follow via an update; Apple hasn't mentioned German.
Without Siri AI on the iPhone, the core is missing
I believe the exclusion is logical, even if it's disappointing here. Almost everything that distinguishes Home View from a speaker with a screen – personal content, conversations related to calendar and messages, and the ability to continue them on other devices – depends on Siri AI on a paired iPhone. This is precisely what's missing on iPhones in the EU.
Bloomberg recently cited roughly five months after the launch of iOS 27 as the best-case scenario for Siri AI to arrive on EU iPhones. I expect HomeView won't be available in the EU before then – and even then, only with English controls, as long as Siri AI doesn't speak German.
Those looking to expand their smart home now will lose less than it might seem. Apple explicitly lists HomePod and Apple TV, in addition to Home View, as control centers for the Apple Home Collection. The screen in the kitchen is not currently available; control via Apple Home will continue to function as before.
Are you waiting to expand your smart home with HomeView, or are you sticking with HomePod and Apple TV as your control center? Tell us in the comments how your home is currently set up.
