Apple has unveiled the HomeView, a new smart display designed to help people spend less time on their phones while staying connected to music, messages, recipes and household tasks.
The device is the technology company’s first major home product launch in six years. It is available to pre-order in Australia from $449, with sales beginning on November 13.
Apple is positioning the HomeView as an extension of the iPhone or iPad rather than a standalone screen. It is intended for use while entertaining, keeping in touch with family and managing smart-home activities without constantly reaching for a personal device.
What is Apple HomeView?
The HomeView has a seven-inch Liquid Retina display, a 12-megapixel Centre Stage camera and a four-microphone array designed to provide clear audio while reducing background noise.
It is larger than an iPhone but smaller than an iPad, with a display attached to a domed aluminium base by an adjustable stainless-steel hinge. The device is available in starlight, rose pink, space grey and silver.
Apple says the screen is large enough to be viewed from across a room while remaining compact enough to fit into a home. It can support up to six individual profiles, allowing each person to have a separate experience.
Users set up a profile by connecting an iPhone or iPad and an Apple account. The personal device must be in the same home, connected to the same Wi-Fi network and have been unlocked recently.
When someone stands in front of the display, HomeView uses facial recognition to identify them. Swiping up then takes the user to their personalised profile, which can include different display faces and access to their own content.
How HomeView is designed to reduce phone use
The device can handle tasks that would otherwise require a phone, including playing music, checking and updating appointments, setting reminders and continuing activities started on an iPhone.
Apple says its Siri system can use information from a user’s iPhone to provide more personal responses. For example, HomeView can play a song mentioned in a message or add an event to a calendar.
It also has a dedicated cooking display. After a recipe has been found online, the HomeView can show the ingredients and instructions clearly, while other features, such as a clock, help users keep track of timings.
That means cooks can follow instructions without repeatedly unlocking a phone with messy or wet hands, while still having access to other household functions from the same screen.
HomeView is likely to appeal most to people who already use several Apple products, since many of its personalised features depend on information held on an iPhone or iPad.
Privacy and parental controls
Apple says the HomeView runs on its A18 chip and uses secure enclaves to process information gathered for recognition and communication. The company says its operating system and applications cannot access camera or microphone data captured by the device.
The device also uses end-to-end encryption, which Apple says prevents it from accessing users’ data. Personal content is available only after HomeView recognises the relevant person’s face and voice.
If another household member tries to view private messages while someone else’s profile is open, the device will not provide access. It will also send a notification to the user’s phone to check whether they are attempting to access the information.
Parents can restrict what appears on HomeView, including access to Safari and explicit language in music. For children under 13, restrictions already set on their personal device will carry over to their HomeView profile.
In addition to the standalone device, Apple is offering three optional mounts: a USB-C wall connector priced at $94.95, an AC-wired model costing $124.95 and a Power over Ethernet version priced at $199.95.
Apple updates HomePod and Apple TV
Apple also announced a second-generation HomePod mini and an updated Apple TV 4K alongside HomeView.
The HomePod mini 2 gains Siri features designed to improve music discovery and allow users to add calendar events or set reminders using information linked to their iPhone. A new Sound Glow feature changes the light on top of the speaker to reflect the colours of the album artwork being played.
It will be available in blue, green and pink as well as existing colours, with a price of $229. Pre-orders are open and the speaker will go on sale on October 30.
The updated Apple TV 4K also includes Siri functions for recommendations and living-room entertainment. It can connect to up to four compatible HomePod speakers for surround sound, while the redesigned Siri Remote can play a sound when misplaced or be located through Apple’s Find My service.
Apple TV 4K costs $449 and will be available to buy from November 13.
