Apple HomeView review: So much more than just another smart display

Smart displays have become a familiar sight in the modern smart home, offering a convenient way to keep track of everyday tasks, check the weather, play music and control connected devices. Apple's first take on the category is the HomeView, a 7-inch smart display that brings together Siri, Apple Intelligence and Apple Home in one device.

Launched last month alongside the new HomePod mini 2 and Apple TV 4K, the HomeView is designed to act as a central hub for the home. It can recognise different household members and tailor the information it displays, with a range of features aimed at making everyday life that little bit easier.

However, there's no denying it's a considerable investment, particularly when there are already plenty of smart displays to choose from. So, how does Apple's version compare, and is it worth adding to your home? I've been putting it to the test to find out.

Price and availability

The Apple HomeView costs £299 in the UK and $299 in the US, and is available to pre-order now, with general availability starting tomorrow. It's not currently available to buy in the European Union, as Siri AI isn't yet supported on iOS in the region.

There are two versions to choose from – standalone and wall-mounted. The standalone model comes in Silver, Starlight, Rose Pink and Space Grey, whilst the wall-mounted option is available in Silver and Space Grey. I've been testing the standalone version in Starlight, which is a gorgeous sandy-gold colour.

Unboxing and set up

The standalone HomeView comes with a USB-C cable and power adapter, so getting it up and running is as simple as plugging it into a socket. The wall-mounted version is a little more involved, as you'll need to buy the mounting hardware and a USB-C power supply separately.

There are a few third-party options available, but I'd recommend the Schneider Home Power Mount USB-C Wall Connector, which is specifically designed for the HomeView. The power mount costs £54.95/$59.95, although you'll also need a minimum 20W power adapter, which costs £19/$19 from Apple.

Once you've got everything plugged in, setup is very straightforward. You'll need an iPhone or iPad running iOS/iPadOS 27.2, connected to the same Wi-Fi network and Apple Account you plan to use with your HomeView. From there, you're guided through a few settings, including whether you'd like to enable Siri AI.

I'd also recommend enrolling other members of your household during setup. The HomeView can recognise up to six people and tailor what appears on screen depending on who's using it. You can do this through the Home app or Control Centre, but it's also included in the initial setup process. As it's just me and my partner at home, getting us both added was nice and easy.

Standalone or wall-mounted?

Choosing between the two versions largely comes down to where you want to put the HomeView and how you plan to use it. The standalone model is better suited to a kitchen worktop, bedside table or shelf, whilst the wall-mounted version offers a neater look for spaces such as hallways and entrances.

Cost is another thing to consider. Both versions start at the same price, but the wall-mounted model requires additional hardware and a power supply, which can add around £100/$100 depending on the setup you choose. That's quite a bit extra just to make things look a little tidier, so it's worth thinking about whether a wall-mounted finish is important to you.

Personally, I'd also consider how often you like to move things around. I'm one of those people who gets the urge to rearrange the furniture every few months, so having the flexibility to pick the HomeView up and move it elsewhere worked better for me.

Design

The HomeView has a sleek aluminium finish and a 7-inch Liquid Retina display. The standalone version connects to a domed speaker base via a stainless steel hinge, allowing you to tilt the screen to get a comfortable viewing angle. The wall-mounted version has a speaker integrated along its bottom edge instead.

The display has a 1088 x 1088-pixel resolution at 220ppi, with True Tone technology that adjusts the screen to suit the surrounding lighting. Brightness ranges from 500 nits down to just 0.3 nits, which is ideal if you're keeping it your bedroom. There's also a fingerprint-resistant coating, and the interface adapts depending on how close you are, showing simpler information from further away and more detail when you approach.

The screen measures 14.55 x 14.55cm, whilst the standalone model measures between 9.60-13.02cm wide and 13.67-17.32cm tall, depending on its position. It weighs 952g, compared with just 286g for the wall-mounted version.

Features

One of the HomeView's biggest selling points is its ability to give everyone in the household a more personalised experience. It can sync with each person to display their apps, widgets and personal information, including Messages, Calendar and Reminders. Shared photo albums and music are also supported, so there's plenty for the whole household to enjoy.

I was initially a little concerned about personal information appearing when someone else was using the device, but the HomeView does a good job of keeping everything separate. Access to personal content such as Messages and Calendar depends on it recognising the user, with their paired iPhone or iPad nearby, connected to the same Wi-Fi network and recently unlocked. I found this reassuring during testing, particularly as it's a device designed to be shared.

The HomeView is powered by Apple's A18 chip and Siri AI, bringing Apple Intelligence into the home. I've been relying on it quite heavily to check my calendar, and I've been impressed by how much context it can pick up. For example, it can find information about plans mentioned in Messages and Mail without me having to manually add everything to my calendar. Responses are also incredibly quick, making asking questions feel much more natural.

I was also curious to see how the HomeView would work alongside my iPhone, particularly as I'm so used to saying 'Hey Siri' to my phone. I wondered whether the two devices would get confused or both respond, leaving me with a rather chaotic conversation with my tech, but that hasn't happened. Everything I've asked the HomeView to do has been handled by the HomeView, without my iPhone chiming in as well.

For FaceTime calls, the HomeView has a 12MP Center Stage camera that automatically keeps everyone in the frame, and four beamforming microphones help pick up voices across the room whilst reducing background noise. You can also send and respond to Messages using your voice or the onscreen keyboard, make audio calls and use Apple's Intercom feature to send announcements to other HomeView and HomePod speakers, as well as iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches.

Find My is built in too, allowing you to locate compatible Apple devices and AirTag-equipped belongings, as well as check the location of people who have chosen to share it with you. There's also a selection of useful built-in apps, including Calendar, FaceTime, Home, Messages, Music, Podcasts, Reminders, Safari, Timers, Weather and World Clock.

The HomeView's A18 chip also includes Secure Enclaves, which process camera and microphone data in a protected environment separate from the main operating system. This allows it to recognise faces and voices without exposing the underlying audio and visual data to the operating system or Apple.

There's no physical privacy switch or camera cover, which might be a reassuring addition for some users, but it's not something I've found particularly concerning. I would feel differently about having it in the bedroom though, which is why I'd be more inclined to use something like Amazon's new Echo Time as a bedside display. However, given the privacy features I've mentioned above, I'm comfortable having the HomeView in other areas of my home.

Smart home integration

As a big smart home fan, this is the part of HomeView I've been most excited to test. It integrates with Apple's Home app, giving you a central place to manage compatible lights, locks, cameras, thermostats and other accessories.

If you already use Apple Home, getting started is incredibly easy. Your existing accessories will appear on HomeView once you've signed in with the same Apple Account, meaning there's very little extra setup involved. If you're new to Apple Home, you'll need to add your devices through the Home app by selecting the '+' symbol and choosing 'Add Accessory'. From there, you can usually scan the product's setup QR code or follow the on-screen instructions.

I've also been testing the HomeView with some newer smart home products, including the Roborock Saros 20 Neo. As Roborock doesn't offer direct Apple Home compatibility, I had to connect it using Matter through the Roborock app. It was still easy enough to do, and once everything was linked, I could ask the HomeView to start a quick vacuum or schedule a full vacuum and mop before friends came round.

Another feature I've really enjoyed is being able to see who's at the front door. I have an Aqara Smart Doorbell Camera G410 connected to Apple Home, and its live feed appears on the HomeView as soon as someone presses the bell. I didn't need to configure anything extra, and it's quickly become one of the features I've used the most.

That said, not every smart home brand or product supports Apple Home or Matter, which means you won't necessarily be able to connect everything you own. For example, Reolink is one of my favourite security camera brands, but some of its products aren't Matter-compatible. The Reolink Argus Magicam, in particular, can't integrate directly with Apple Home either, so I couldn't view its feed through the HomeView. Ring or Blink are other examples, as their devices aren't HomeKit or Matter-certified, so they can't be connected to the HomeView either.

This isn't so much a fault with HomeView itself as a limitation of the brands that don't allow their devices to integrate with other ecosystems. It's still something worth bearing in mind, particularly if you already have a range of smart home gadgets, and I'd recommend checking compatibility before buying to make sure your existing devices will work with it.

For a more visual overview, the HomeView has dedicated Home and Home Camera faces. The Home Modular face gives you quick access to your favourite smart home accessories, whilst Home Camera can display up to nine camera feeds at once. It can also detect the sound of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and send alerts to your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch.

The HomeView will also work with Apple's new Home Collection, which includes smart cameras, thermostats and a door lock developed in collaboration with LG and Schneider Electric. These will be available to order starting from tomorrow too, with wider availability beginning in December.

My favourite HomeView feature

Of all the features I've tried on the HomeView, the cooking functionality is probably the one I've found myself getting the most use out of. I love following new recipes, but I'm always relying on my phone to check the next step or look back at the ingredients, but the HomeView simplifies the process entirely.

You can find a recipe in Safari on your iPhone, then transfer it to HomeView and open it in a dedicated cooking view. This breaks the recipe down into individual steps, making it easier to follow as you go. You can also use Siri to repeat instructions or get a preview of what's coming up next, so you don't have to keep stopping to check the screen.

I've found it especially useful when making dinner. I can leave the recipe on display, work through each stage and ask Siri to set a timer without having to stop and wipe my hands before touching my phone. It's also another great example of HomeView doing more than simply displaying information or controlling smart home gadgets.

Sound

As well as being a smart home hub, the HomeView doubles as an entertainment device. Its audio system features two custom full-range drivers in the display, alongside a down-firing woofer and two force-cancelling passive radiators in the base.

I've been pleasantly surprised by how room-filling the sound is. It's been great for playing quieter, calming music in the background whilst I'm working, but it can also get loud enough for having friends over. It supports Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, and computational audio adjusts the sound to keep things balanced, with clear highs and fuller bass at different volumes.

You can listen to Apple Music, including album artwork and lyrics, as well as Apple Podcasts, Apple News, audiobooks and Apple TV. I've personally been using Spotify, which was already available on the screen after setup. It worked seamlessly, and it feels like I'm just picking up where I left off on my phone. I haven't had to change the way I listen to music at all, which is exactly what I want from a device like this.

There's also AirPlay multiroom audio, so you can connect HomeView with HomePod, HomePod mini, Apple TV 4K and other compatible speakers around your home. This makes it easy to bring your music into more rooms, rather than having the HomeView feel like a self-contained speaker.

Verdict

After spending time with the Apple HomeView, I've realised it's much more than your average smart display. It's quickly become part of my daily routine, and I've found myself relying on it for little tasks that previously meant scrolling through emails or hunting down my iPhone. I've found it simplifies so many everyday things, making it easier to stay organised and keep on top of what's happening around my home.

The smart home features have probably been my biggest highlight, and I love how the HomeView brings everything together in one place without making me change the way I already use my devices. There are some limitations, particularly when it comes to compatibility with products that don't support Apple Home or Matter, and you'll undoubtedly get more out of it if you're already invested in Apple's ecosystem. If your smart home is spread across lots of different platforms, the HomeView might not be quite the all-in-one solution you're hoping for.

That said, if you're already an Apple Home user and want a more convenient way to manage compatible devices, keep on top of everyday tasks and enjoy your music, I think the HomeView makes a lot of sense. It's the sort of device that quietly becomes more useful the longer you have it, and having spent time with it, I can see myself continuing to use it for a very long time.

Alternatives to consider

The closest alternatives to Apple's HomeView are Amazon's Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11, both of which launched late last year. Like the HomeView, they combine a touchscreen display with a built-in speaker, voice assistant and smart home controls, making them a useful hub for the home. The Echo Show 8 is the closest match in terms of size, with an 8.7-inch display compared to the HomeView's 7-inch screen, whilst the Echo Show 11 offers a larger 11-inch display. They're also more affordable, starting at around £180/$180 for the Echo Show 8 and £220/$250 for the Echo Show 11. The biggest difference comes down to the ecosystem, with Amazon's devices built around Alexa and support for a wide range of smart home products, whilst the HomeView is designed to work most seamlessly with Apple's devices and services.