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Apple announced HomeView, a $299 smart home display, and The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy tried the device ahead of its planned Nov. 13 shipping date. The hands-on report describes its 7-inch touchscreen and home controls; some Siri functions were shown in demonstrations, not independently tested.
Apple has announced HomeView, its first smart home display, and The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy has published a hands-on report after trying the $299 device. The display is designed to control connected-home devices, show personal information and run Siri features, with shipping scheduled to begin Nov. 13.
The HomeView has a 7-inch square Liquid Retina touchscreen above a small aluminum base that also serves as a speaker. Tuohy described the screen as bright and responsive, and said it displays photos and a selection of screen designs called “faces.” Apple offers tabletop and wall-mounted versions; the report says the unit felt smaller than expected and fit on a kitchen counter.
A dedicated Home Widget face presents controls from Apple’s Home app, part of Apple’s smart home push. In the hands-on, Tuohy tapped the screen to control a thermostat, operate a door lock and activate a scene. The display also showed live feeds from HomeKit Secure Video cameras, an area related to Apple’s reported plans for a smart home camera. When she tried to unlock a door, the device required authentication using her face or iPhone.
Navigation relies heavily on swipes: users can move between faces, open app controls and bring up Control Center. The device can also display apps that populate from a user’s phone. Tuohy saw demonstrations of Siri handling personal context, FaceTime using Center Stage and a song request. She did not try the personal-context features herself. Apple also demonstrated recipe handoff: a recipe open on an iPhone can be transferred to HomeView and reformatted with step-by-step instructions and timers.
A New Screen for Apple Home
HomeView gives Apple Home a dedicated, shared screen rather than relying only on controls in an iPhone app or voice commands. That could make routine tasks—checking a camera, adjusting a thermostat or starting a scene—easier to carry out from a kitchen counter or wall-mounted unit. The report’s hands-on examples show those controls working on the device, while the authentication prompt indicates that at least some sensitive actions require an additional check.
The broader proposition is that a home display can connect smart-home controls with personal assistance. Apple’s demonstrations of calendar and message context, recipe transfer and music requests suggest how Siri might bring together information across devices. Those capabilities were demonstrated rather than tested in the report, so their reliability and practical limits are not yet established.
How HomeView Fits Apple Home
The Home Widget is described as a version of the Apple Home app interface adapted for a larger, walk-up screen. The device also draws on a user’s iPhone: apps can populate from the phone, and Handoff can transfer a recipe to the display. That makes HomeView an extension of Apple’s existing home and phone software, rather than a standalone controller in the account given by the report.
Apple’s announced price is $299, and preorders are open, according to The Verge report. The publication’s hands-on was limited to trying some features and watching demonstrations of others. The report did not provide comparative testing against other smart displays or a full assessment of day-to-day performance.
““The first thing that struck me about the HomeView was its size.””
— Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge
Questions Before Full Testing
The report does not establish how well HomeView’s Siri features work across a wider range of requests, messages or household setups. The personal-context examples—including finding a visitor’s arrival time and scheduling a coffee maker—were demonstrations that Tuohy did not test herself. Apple’s statement that most recipes using Google formatting should work is also a company claim; the report does not test compatibility with recipes from platforms such as TikTok.
Battery or power requirements, detailed hardware specifications beyond those reported, privacy controls, software support and performance over extended use are not covered in the source material. The hands-on also does not assess how the device compares with competing smart displays, or whether every HomeKit accessory and feature will be supported.
Preorders and November Shipping
Apple has opened preorders at $299 and says shipping is due to start on Nov. 13. The Verge report says the reviewer expects to test more features, but it does not give a date for a fuller review. Buyers and readers will have to wait for broader testing to learn how the demonstrated Siri functions perform in everyday use and how HomeView handles a wider range of connected devices and recipes.
Key Questions
What is Apple HomeView?
HomeView is Apple’s announced smart home display, with a 7-inch touchscreen designed for controlling connected-home devices and using Siri features.
How much does HomeView cost?
The reported price is $299. The Verge says preorders are open.
When is HomeView expected to ship?
Apple says shipping is scheduled to begin Nov. 13.
What smart home controls did the hands-on report try?
The reporter used the Home Widget to control a thermostat and door lock, activate a scene and view HomeKit Secure Video camera feeds. The door-unlock attempt required authentication.
Were all the Siri features tested directly?
No. The report says some Siri capabilities, including using personal context from messages and calendars, were shown in demonstrations rather than tested by the reporter.
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