Apple Unveils HomeView Touch Screen Device in New York

Apple unveiled the HomeView in New York on Tuesday, a 7-inch-square touch screen priced at $299 that arrives in November as the company’s second attempt to capture the home hardware market. Its predecessor, the 2018 HomePod, left a minimal impression—most notably leaving white stains on furniture, according to bloomberg.com—and hovered at approximately 6% market share.

A Barebones Square Screen and Siri AI

The device departs from more elaborate robotic concept designs by offering a simple square screen. It can sit on an aluminum base or mount on a wall, relying primarily on Siri AI and an integrated camera for voice recognition and user identification, according to advisorperspectives.com.

The hardware functions primarily through Siri AI rather than traditional touch controls alone. This acts as a direct test for Apple’s digital assistant following widespread criticism that the assistant has lagged behind competitors.

Chasing Rivals a Decade Late

Apple is roughly a decade behind launching a home device equipped with a screen. The hardware rollout is positioned directly against established market players Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Amazon.com Inc.

Tethering to the iPhone Ecosystem

The HomeView operates as a direct extension of a nearby iPhone rather than requiring independent third-party app installations, functioning similarly to Apple CarPlay or Apple Watch. Built-in Apple applications like FaceTime, Music, and Podcasts are included natively, while third-party apps are beckoned from a nearby iPhone if the developer provides an interface.

The device’s primary selling point is its ability to recognize specific household members and display personalized home screens, widgets, and calendar appointments. When handling requests or sending messages, Siri AI leverages its database of knowledge specific to that recognized user, relying entirely on the nearby iPhone for personal context rather than storing sensitive data directly on the HomeView hardware.

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