Apple launches HomeView smart display, its first home hub

Apple unveils HomeView and a broader Home Collection

At the “Welcome Home” event in New York on 13 October 2026, Apple announced a suite of smart‑home products anchored by the HomeView smart display. The announcement also introduced the Apple Home Collection, a line of accessories co‑developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric, ranging from doorbells to thermostats. Apple’s senior vice‑president of Worldwide Marketing, Greg Joswiak, said the HomeView “is designed to be shared by everyone in the home yet feel completely personal to each user.”

Hardware specs, AI and privacy focus

The HomeView features a 7‑inch square Liquid Retina display that supports True Tone and adjusts brightness from 500 nits in bright rooms down to 0.3 nits for night‑stand use. Powering the device is Apple’s A18 chip, paired with a 12‑megapixel Center Stage camera and a four‑microphone array for hands‑free Siri interactions. Audio is handled by two full‑range drivers, a down‑firing woofer and two force‑cancelling passive radiators, delivering spatial audio and multi‑room playback when paired with HomePod devices.

Facial and voice recognition can identify up to six household members, automatically presenting a personalized Home Screen with private apps, messages and calendar data. When no recognized user is present, the display reverts to generic content such as photos, clocks or widget clusters. Siri AI can answer a wide range of queries, tap into personal iPhone and iPad data, and continue conversations across the Siri app.

Apple emphasizes privacy: the camera cannot be used as a remote security feed, and Secure Enclaves isolate microphone and camera processing. Personal information is shown only when an enrolled user’s iPhone or iPad is nearby and has been unlocked recently.

Configurations, pricing and mount options

Two variants are available: a tabletop model with a domed aluminum speaker base and a stainless‑steel hinge, and a wall‑mounted version that ships without a built‑in power source. The wall unit requires a separate mount purchased from Schneider Home; the Power Mount USB‑C connector starts at $59.95, the Power Mount AC Wired at $79.95, and a PoE‑enabled mount is slated for early 2027 at $129.95.

Apple Home Collection accessories

The accessory lineup includes LG’s Video Doorbell ($249.95), Floodlight Cam ($399.95), Outdoor Cam ($299.95), Indoor Cam ($199.95) and Smart Deadbolt Lock ($349.95). Schneider Electric contributes a Smart Thermostat ($199.95) and a Room Sensor ($39.95). Apple notes that the accessories are designed with the same end‑to‑end encryption as its proprietary hardware, ensuring that neither Apple nor its partners can read user data.

Availability for the Home Collection is slated to begin in December 2026 and extend into early 2027, complementing the HomeView’s launch.

Market reaction and competitor landscape

Following the event, Apple introduced the smart-home line as HomeView is positioned to compete with Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Nest Hub.

Analysis highlights key differentiators: deep integration with iPhone/iPad data via Siri AI, a privacy‑first camera design, and the requirement of an iPhone or iPad for setup. While competitor devices support a broader range of third‑party ecosystems and work across iOS and Android, Apple’s approach leans on its own hardware and software stack.

Apple’s next steps include rolling out the Home Collection accessories throughout December 2026 and early 2027, while the PoE‑enabled wall mount will reach the market in early 2027. Observers will watch how the combination of hardware, software and privacy positioning influences adoption in a space long led by Amazon and Google.