Apple is taking a big swing at the smart home market. The company on Tuesday unveiled its long-rumored smart home hub, dubbed HomeView, that can act as a central control point for smart home devices, be used for FaceTime calls, playing music, watching videos, displaying photo slideshows, and more.
The new $299 device looks like a cuboid version of the HomePod, but with a display added to the front. The HomeView comes in two versions: one can sit on a countertop, and the other can be mounted on a wall. Measuring 7 inches wide, the hub features a single FaceTime camera on the front, and has microphones and speakers built into its base.
Apple has preloaded the device with several of its apps, including Calendar, Messages, Photos, FaceTime, Notes, Reminders, Music, and Podcasts. That means users won’t need to reach for their iPhone if they want to check a calendar appointment, send a message, play some music, or look at photos.
Apple sees the device being particularly useful in places such as the kitchen. Someone cooking dinner, for example, could pull up a recipe, watch a video, check a calendar, or start a FaceTime call without resorting to their phone.
It’ll also act as a smart home dashboard, allowing users to ask Siri to view camera feeds, adjust the thermostat, turn on lights, and lock doors. This comes as Apple announced its lineup of smart home accessories today, including a smart deadbolt lock, security cameras, and doorbell. Users will hear a chime from their HomeView when someone is at the door, for example.
One of the more interesting aspects of the device is how it works with different members of a household.
The hub runs Apple’s updated Siri AI assistant and can recognize individual people in the house. Once it identifies someone, the screen can show information meant for that person, such as their messages, contacts, calendar appointments, notes, and preferred apps. The experience changes automatically when another family member walks up to the device.
The company says HomeView can recognize up to six people.
HomeView puts Apple in a much more direct fight with Amazon and Google, both of which already have established smart display products: Amazon has its Echo Show line, while Google offers the Nest Hub.
Apple has had a mixed history in the smart home space, however, with products such as the HomePod struggling to reach the same level of popularity as competing devices. The new hub is an opportunity for Apple to change that by combining home controls with the company’s wider ecosystem.
The device has been rumored for quite some time, with reports pointing to delays caused in part by problems with Siri AI. Those issues have reportedly affected Apple’s broader smart home plans as well.
This may only be the first phase of Apple’s smart home plan. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has previously reported that Apple could eventually take the concept further with a more advanced version that features a robotic arm. Such a device could move its display and interact in a more physical way.
Pre-orders start today, and the device will be available to buy from November 13. It comes in four colors: silver, starlight, rose pink, and space gray.
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