Apple brings its new Siri into the home with HomeView
· BehindLines newsroom
Apple unveiled HomeView on Tuesday, October 13, a small display designed to control a connected home. Priced at 299 dollars in the United States, it has been available to pre-order since the announcement, with deliveries due to start on November 13. Apple gives the same availability date for several countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Singapore. The product will not be sold in the European Union; Apple attributes that exclusion to Siri AI currently being unavailable in iOS within the EU. For the company, HomeView also showcases its new, AI-powered version of Siri.
What the device does
HomeView centres on a seven-inch square screen and comes in two versions at the same price: one rests on a stand that doubles as a speaker, while the other mounts on a wall. Inside is an A18 chip. The device acts as a home dashboard, displaying HomeKit-compatible cameras and controlling locks, thermostats, lights or blinds. It recognises up to six people and adapts the display to each one.
The new Siri, presented as much more conversational, is central to the product. But some features that rely on the user's personal context require a paired iPhone or iPad, Apple says in its announcement. Without a compatible device, the assistant is limited to general questions and conversation.
Limited detail on third-party apps
Apple says compatible third-party audio and video apps will be supported. Some require a paired iPhone nearby. The precise arrangements remain sparsely detailed, 9to5Mac notes in an article devoted to third-party applications.
Catching up with rivals
Amazon and Google have sold smart displays for years through their Echo Show and Nest Hub ranges. Apple is arriving late in this market and is betting less on the hardware than on its assistant, long seen as lagging behind rivals. HomeView puts this new generation of Siri at the centre of the home experience. Whether the price and some features' reliance on an iPhone will deter people already using another system remains to be seen.