Apple wants a bigger presence in your home, and HomeView is its latest attempt to get there. The company has launched a new smart display that puts Siri AI, FaceTime, music, photos and smart home controls on a screen that can sit on your bedside table or be mounted on a wall. It costs Rs 39,900 in India, which is well above Amazon’s more affordable Echo Show displays, the dominant leader in the category in India. The idea is to give the whole family one screen without making everyone share the same digital space.
Apple HomeView features
HomeView has a 7-inch Liquid Retina display which sits above a domed aluminium speaker base, connected by a stainless steel hinge that lets users adjust its angle. The display has True Tone and automatic brightness adjustment, ranging from 500 nits in bright conditions to 0.3 nits at night, making it suitable for a bedside table too. The interface adapts to how close someone is, showing simpler information from across the room and more detail when they approach. Apple is also selling a wall-mounted version.
Its more interesting feature is facial recognition. HomeView can recognise up to six people and show each one their own Home Screen, including personal content from Messages, Calendar, Reminders and FaceTime. Shared photo albums and music remain available to everyone. That is different from treating a smart display as little more than a voice assistant with a screen attached. Apple wants HomeView to feel personal even though it stays in a common area of the house.
HomeView runs Apple’s new Siri AI, which the company says can handle more natural conversations, answer general knowledge questions and offer better music recommendations. Pair it with a compatible Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad, and Siri can also draw on personal information from apps such as Messages and Calendar.
The display doubles as an entertainment and communication device, with FaceTime coupled with Center Stage, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Apple TV and compatible third-party apps. Its speaker system has two full-range drivers, a down-firing woofer and two force-cancelling passive radiators. Users can also follow recipes, set timers and control compatible lights, locks, thermostats and blinds.
HomeView can show up to nine camera feeds at once. Some of its more advanced security features, including recognition of familiar faces, pets and packages, require compatible cameras and an iCloud+ subscription. HomeView also acts as a smart home dashboard, letting users control compatible lights, thermostats, locks and blinds.
If its Apple, it’s private. Personal information is protected through on-device security features, and the company says data processed through its Private Cloud Compute system is not stored or made accessible to Apple.
Apple HomeView price in India: is it worth the premium?
Apple HomeView and its wall-mounted version are available to pre-order in India for Rs 39,900 each, while sales begin November 13th. The mounts for the wall-mounted model cost extra, starting at Rs 6,900. The tabletop model is available in silver, starlight, rose pink and space gray, with a matching cable for each finish. The wall-mounted version, available in silver and space gray, is designed for places such as hallways and entryways.
At this price, HomeView is a harder sell than its own HomePod or an Amazon Echo. Amazon’s Echo Show range offers many of the basics, including voice control, entertainment and smart home management, for much less. Google-compatible devices and Indian brands such as Qubo also cover several everyday smart home needs without requiring a Rs 40,000 home in your pocket.
HomeView’s appeal will largely depend on how much someone values Apple’s ecosystem. If the household already uses iPhones, Apple Music and other Apple services, having personal information, calls, photos and home controls together could be useful. Those who simply want to check a security camera or switch off the lights with a voice command have cheaper options. HomeView is better suited to households that want a permanent screen for calls, personal information and home automation, particularly if everyone already uses Apple devices.
