It’s best known for its iPhones, iPads, Macs and Apple Watches, but Apple has shifted its focus into an unexpected category today, with the launch of a new smart home device.
Called the Apple HomeView, the £299 device was announced at an event in New York today, and is described as a ‘smart home management’ system.
A discreet, 7-inch display recognises different family members’ faces, and brings up a personalised display depending on who it is.
It can do everything from playing music to making FaceTime calls, and can also draw on each user’s personal context, such as their Calendar and Messages.
‘Apple HomeView is designed to be shared by everyone in the home yet feel completely personal to each user,’ said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.
‘It recognises your face to shift from a household screen to your own experience, fills the room with incredible sound, keeps you connected to the people who matter most with FaceTime, and makes it easy to control your smart home.
‘And it’s powered by Apple Intelligence with Siri AI at its core, drawing on personal context from your iPhone to help you find what you need and get more done, all while keeping everyone’s information private and secure.’
It’s best known for its iPhones, iPads, Macs and Apple Watches, but Apple has shifted its focus into an unexpected category today, with the launch of a new smart home device
Called the Apple HomeView, the £299 device was announced at an event in New York today, and is described as a ‘smart home management’ system
The HomeView comes in two models – as a free-standing device that can sit on a countertop, or as a more discreet wall-mounted model.
The free-standing version features a domed speaker base that comes in four colours – silver, starlight, rose pink and space grey.
Meanwhile, the wall-mounted model comes in two colours – space grey and silver – and is attached to the wall using three purpose-built mounts.
The device can recognise up to six people’s faces, and brings up a personalised experience for each one.
For example, if I approached the device, it would bring up my Messages, Calendar, and favourite apps, such as Spotify, Mob, and Instagram.
However, if I walked away from the device and my husband then approached it, it would switch to his personalised setup.
If neither of us was near it, the device would then display our shared photo albums and music.
A discreet, 7-inch display recognises different family members’ faces, and brings up a personalised display depending on who it is
The free-standing version features a domed speaker base that comes in four colours – silver, starlight, rose pink and space grey
HomeView features Siri AI, which can answer questions on ‘virtually any topic’, according to Apple.
What’s more, this Siri AI syncs with your other Apple products, so if you’ve previously asked Apple’s smart assistant something on your iPhone, you can pick up the conversation on the HomeView.
In terms of displays, Apple has included a range of options, ranging from simple clocks to Snoopy animations, as well as the option to display photos from a shared album.
Beyond entertainment, HomeView also allows you to control your home if you use other smart devices.
You can view camera feeds, adjust the thermostat and lights, lock smart doors, or even close the blinds.
‘The Home Camera face can livestream up to nine video feeds at once, letting users keep an eye on doorstep deliveries and pets playing in the yard,’ Apple explained.
You can view camera feeds, adjust the thermostat and lights, lock smart doors, or even close the blinds
What’s more, the HomeView can detect the sound of smoke or carbon monoxide alarms while you’re out the house, and can alert you on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch.
As always, Apple has built the device with privacy ‘at its core’.
Though the device can be shared across different family members, personal content can only be accessed when the enrolled user is recognised by their face, and when their iPhone or iPad is present and recently unlocked.
The device is available for pre-order from today, with sales from November 13, and is priced at £299 in the UK, and $299 in the US.
At the New York event, Apple also announced a new HomePod Mini 2 and the next generation of Apple TV 4K.
The £149/$149 HomePod Mini 2 features Siri AI and enhanced audio and comes in five colours – pink, green, blue, white and midnight.
Meanwhile, the £299/$299 Apple TV 4K has built-in far-field microphones, allowing users to talk to Siri hands-free.
The trillion-dollar rise of Apple
1976: Founders Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne created the company on April 1, 1976, as they set about selling computer kits to hobbyists, each of which was built by Wozniak.
The first product was the Apple I.
1977: Apple released the Apple II in June, which was the first PC made for the mass market.
Steve Jobs unveils Apple Computer Corporation’s new Macintosh in California on February 6, 1984
1981: Jobs became chairman.
1984: The Macintosh was introduced during an ad break for the Super Bowl and later officially unveiled during a launch event. It was discontinued a year later and Jobs left the firm.
1987: Apple released the Macintosh II, the first colour Mac.
1997: Apple announces it will acquire NeXT software in a $400 million deal that involves Jobs returning to Apple as interim CEO. He officially took the role in 2000.
Steve Jobs, then-chief executive officer of Apple, with the iPhone
2001: Apple introduced iTunes, OS X and the first-generation iPod.
The first iPod MP3 music player was released on October 23, 2001, at an event in Cupertino and was able to hold up to 1,000 songs.
2007: Apple unveils the iPhone.
2010: The first iPad was unveiled.
2011: Jobs resigned in 2011 due to illness, handing the CEO title to Tim Cook. Jobs died in October from pancreatic cancer.
2014: Apple unveiled the Apple Watch. It also unveiled its first larger iPhones – the 6 and 6 Plus.
2015: After purchasing Beats from Dr Dre, Apple launched Apple Music to compete with Spotify and other music streaming services.
2016: Apple returned to its roots and announced the 4-inch iPhone SE. Meanwhile, the firm is embroiled in a legal battle with the FBI, involving the agency demanding access to the locked phone used by Syed Farook, who died in a shootout after carrying out a deadly December attack in San Bernardino, California, with his wife. The court order was dropped on March 28 after the FBI said a third party was able to unlock the device.
2017: Apple introduces the iPhone X, which removes the home button to make way for a futuristic edge-to-edge screen design and a new FaceID system that uses advanced sensors and lasers to unlock phones with just the owner’s face.
Jobs at an Apple event at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California
2018: In a first for the company, Apple introduces new features in its latest operating system, iOS 12, that encourage users to manage and spend less time on their devices. The move was spawned by a strongly worded letter from shareholders that urged the firm to address the growing problem of smartphone addiction among kids and teenagers.
2019: In January, Apple reports its first decline in revenues and profits in a decade. CEO Tim Cook partly blamed steep declines in revenue from China.
2020: In March, Apple closes all its brick-and-mortar retail stores outside of China in response to coronavirus.
2021: In an online virtual event in April, CEO Tim Cook declares Apple’s goal of becoming carbon neutral for Earth Day. Later in the year, the iPhone 13 was announced.
2022: In September, the iPhone 14 was announced. One of the new features included a new sensor to detect if a user had been in a car crash, as well as an improved camera system.
2023: Apple brings back its ‘Home Pod’ after the first generation was discontinued. The ‘Home Pod’ can be seen as an alternative to Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home, as it is powered by voice commands.
2024: Apple makes its first steps into artificial intelligence with the release of Apple Intelligence. The features are not all released at once, with many delayed until the following year.
2026: Apple announces a leadership shakeup. After 15 years leading the company, Tim Cook steps aside from his position as CEO to become executive chairman. John Ternus, 51, Apple’s widely respected hardware chief, takes as CEO on September 1.
