Apple HomeView: Two-minute review
Apple’s first smart display is a strong start, even if it’s a somewhat strange first-generation product. The HomeView gets a lot right, from its distinctly Apple design and excellent audio to its personalized experience and genuinely useful Siri AI capabilities. And after eight days of living with two HomeViews, I really like what Apple has delivered. First and foremost, though, the HomeView is for folks already invested in the Apple ecosystem. You’ll need an iPhone to get the most out of it, and ideally an Apple Intelligence-enabled model to take full advantage of Siri AI and Personal Context. This integration is what makes the HomeView special, letting Siri find information in your messages, control your smart home, and surface personal content without you constantly having to reach for your phone. The hardware is excellent, with a compact, premium design and a vibrant 7-inch display. I’ve been using the speaker-mounted ‘countertop’ HomeView in my kitchen, and the wall-mounted version in my entryway, and both fit naturally into my daily routine. I especially love the Photos clock face, which intelligently cycles through pictures of my dog Rosie, family, and friends. Audio is another standout. The standard HomeView delivers surprisingly powerful bass, a wide soundstage, and enough volume to fill my kitchen and living room. Music support is so strong that I’ve actually been occasionally using it as my main speaker. Siri AI is impressive, too, particularly when tapping into Personal Context, though it’s not always the fastest. Simple smart-home requests are generally quick, while more complex tasks can take 10 to 15 seconds. Still, the ability to ask Siri to find a song a friend recommended in my messages and then play it is pretty neat. There are some limitations, though. There’s no App Store at launch, third-party apps are restricted, and video options are limited. While I’d have liked to see more flexibility, I suspect Apple’s curated approach is intentional. HomeView feels designed to be a more mindful, ambient device that surfaces information when you need it rather than another screen constantly demanding your attention. That being said, I wouldn’t be shocked if, when WWDC 27 rolls around, a dedicated ‘home’ OS is announced, and the app experience opens up. At $299 / £299 / AU$449, the HomeView certainly isn’t cheap, but it also doesn’t feel like an unfinished first-generation experiment. It’s already great for FaceTime calls, quickly checking messages, playing music, controlling smart home devices, and displaying personalized clock faces. These are the kinds of everyday interactions that make it easy to appreciate having the HomeView around, rather than feeling like you’re searching for reasons to use it. Ultimately, the Apple HomeView feels like a natural companion to your iPhone, giving you a reason to leave it in your pocket rather than constantly reaching for it. It’s a smart-home controller, digital photo frame, surprisingly capable speaker, and personal assistant rolled into one, but it’s also perfectly happy just showing you the time or a favorite photo. It’s not perfect, but Apple has delivered a thoughtful, genuinely useful first-generation product that feels like a very strong start, especially if you’re already deep in its ecosystem. Value score: 4 / 5
Apple HomeView: Design
(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future) Premium, distinctly Apple design with a vibrant 7-inch Liquid Retina display
Two designs: tabletop and wall-mounted, with the same core features
Excellent customizable clock faces
The HomeView comes in two distinct styles: standard and wall-mounted. The standard HomeView will likely be the more popular option, and features a square 7-inch Liquid Retina display with soft, rounded corners that sits on an arm extending from a domed, circular base. It’s smaller than you might expect, and pretty cute. It comes in four colors: Starlight, Space Gray, Rose Pink, and Silver. I’ve been testing Starlight, which looks like an airy gold or more silver depending on how the light hits it. Apple also includes a color-matched USB-C cable and wall adapter, making physical setup straightforward. The design is distinctly Apple, with a premium aluminum build combining brushed finishes and polished accents, particularly around the hinge connecting the display to the base. At first glance, it’s almost like an oversized Apple Watch — perhaps an earlier generation thanks to the fairly thick bezels. There’s also a bit of the iconic, potted-plant-like iMac G4 in its DNA, and I quite like that. The display can tilt up or down, but not left or right. For that, you’ll need to manually turn the entire HomeView, though the rubberized bottom, similar to a HomePod or HomePod mini, keeps it firmly planted. And while it’s easy enough to turn it left or right with the display, a swivel mechanism built in here would have made this more seamless. Jacob Krol/Future Jacob Krol/Future Jacob Krol/Future Jacob Krol/Future I’ve been testing the standard HomeView in my apartment, where the kitchen flows right into the living space, and I’ve found a natural home for it on my kitchen island. Thanks to its compact size, I can easily slide it around or turn it to face wherever I am, whether I’m making coffee, cooking dinner, or hopping on a FaceTime call. Center Stage does a good job of keeping me in frame, but it can only follow me so far before I need to turn the display manually. A motorized arm would be pretty dope, and I’m holding out hope for one in a future generation. The 7-inch Liquid Retina display looks great, with clear text, vibrant photos, and plenty of brightness, though its glossy finish can still catch reflections even when the brightness is cranked up, and I would be surprised if Nano-Texture or a similar coating might be ushered in a future generation. Apple says it can dim down to just 0. 3 nits, the lowest of any display in its lineup, which is likely handy for bedrooms and helps ensure it’s not glowing in the middle of the night or in dimmer conditions. It’s excellent for displaying photos, album artwork, or lyrics in Apple Music, and I’ve never had an issue reading text. It’s also noticeably thicker than an iPad or even Apple’s now touch-enabled MacBook Pro, though that’s understandable given everything packed inside. Above the display sits a 12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera, while tiny microphone openings are dotted around the frame, including near the camera, along the sides, and on the rear. You won’t find any physical buttons or a camera shutter, though, as Apple is betting almost entirely on touch and voice. The only port is USB-C for power. The base is where much of the audio hardware lives, with dozens of precisely drilled holes around its lower half. There are two full-range drivers built into the display section, while the base houses a downward-firing woofer and two force-canceling passive radiators. I’ll dig deeper into sound quality below, but it’s surprisingly robust for something this small, with plenty of low-end punch without causing HomeView to vibrate excessively or topple over. Overall, HomeView feels a good bit more premium than older Echo smart displays or Google’s Nest Hub, though it takes a markedly different approach from Amazon’s newer Echo Show 8, 11, and forthcoming Echo Show 16. It fits neatly into Apple’s broader design ethos, even if the colors, somewhat ironically, don’t necessarily match those of the HomePod or HomePod mini. (Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future) I’ve also been testing the second version, which Apple calls HomeView (Wall Mounted). While the standard model is more versatile, there’s a lot to like about having Apple’s smart display permanently positioned on a wall. Unboxing is considerably simpler, as you’re essentially getting just the display, without the arm or speaker base. On the back is a USB-C port, which is designed to work with compatible mounts, including those from Schneider Electric, which were developed specifically for HomeView. Importantly, you’re not sacrificing the core experience. The wall-mounted version has the same processor, display, cameras, sensors, and software as the tabletop model. The biggest hardware difference is audio, handled by two custom drivers rather than the more elaborate speaker system in the standard HomeView. It’s by no means tinny and still offers a surprisingly wide soundstage, but there’s less oomph, particularly in the low end. I suspect most folks opting for the wall-mounted model will want to wire it directly into the wall for the cleanest possible look. But as a renter, I went with Schneider Electric’s USB-C wall mount, and it was one of the simplest mounting experiences I’ve had with a smart home device. Two drilled holes, anchors, screws, and probably less than 15 minutes later, it was on the wall. From there, I connected the lengthy USB-C cable to a power adapter, which you’ll need to supply yourself. I’ve been using the wall-mounted HomeView in my entryway, and it’s a great fit. Walking in to see photos of my pup Rosie, my nieces, or family and friends is a lovely touch, while the customizable Smart Home face turns it into a central control panel. I’ll dig into that experience, including some surprisingly useful features, more below. Ultimately, the standard HomeView likely offers better overall value thanks to its more powerful audio system and flexibility to move between rooms. But the wall-mounted version feels especially well suited to an entryway, kitchen, or another central location where you want information and smart home controls available at a glance. Both feel thoughtfully designed, and Apple has delivered two distinct approaches to what a smart home display can look like. Design score: 4 / 5
Apple HomeView: Performance
(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future) Siri AI and Personal Context deliver genuinely useful, personalized experiences
Excellent sound quality, responsive smart home controls, and impressive FaceTime performance
Limited third-party apps and streaming options, and complex Siri requests can be slow
I’ve been living with two HomeViews for eight days, with one serving me well on the entryway wall of my apartment, and the other primarily living in my kitchen. The standard model has also spent some time in my office and even the bedroom, and I’ve been putting both through their paces. HomeView is built around your iPhone, and that tight integration is central to the experience. You’ll also want an Apple Intelligence-enabled model to get the most out of Siri AI and Personal Context. Thankfully, it all works quite well. I’ve used HomeView for everything from music and FaceTime calls to smart home controls, checking messages, and displaying photos. I’ve even watched some Apple TV, though it’s hardly the ideal screen for that. (Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future) Setup feels familiar if you’ve ever paired an Apple Watch or AirPods with an iPhone. Plug HomeView in, wait for it to boot up and say hello, then bring your iPhone nearby. From there, you scan a graphic to pair the devices and follow a few steps, including choosing who you’re setting it up for. HomeView is designed to be communal, sitting in a shared space where multiple people can use it, but also personal when the situation calls for it. It supports up to six registered users, and adding someone starts on HomeView before handing the process over to their iPhone. They’ll also need to be part of your Apple Home. The personalization works particularly well. For instance, while I was viewing my messages, my dad walked into the camera’s view, and HomeView immediately stopped showing my personal content until it could recognize me again. It’s a clever safeguard, especially for a device that’s meant to live in a shared space. (Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future) It does mean, though, that some items you’d think would be shared among users are missing. For example, there’s no calendar — likely because it might contain confidential items, and Apple wants to make sure those are shown to a registered user. But that does mean the HomeView doesn’t offer a shared calendar like, say a Skylight or an Echo. One solution would be a shared calendar that is shared with each person (up to six) who is registered on the HomeView. The HomeView runs custom software, not HomeViewOS, that borrows heavily from iOS and watchOS. The app grid, including its tint and customizable widgets, feels like iOS, while customizing the clock faces is more akin to watchOS, complete with complications. It’s a bit of a Frankenstein-like approach, but it works. (Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future) And speaking of clock faces, they’re one of my favorite parts of HomeView. Snoopy is especially delightful, with custom-designed artwork and animations separate from what you’ll find on Apple TV. You can even tap Snoopy to trigger an animation, which is an adorable little touch. Jacob Krol/Future Jacob Krol/Future Jacob Krol/Future Jacob Krol/Future The Photos face is equally impressive, and really shows how personal HomeView can feel. You can select people, places, or pets, and HomeView will intelligently surface and cycle through relevant photos…
