Apple HomeView: My Favorite Smart Display, but Not My Daughter’s
A capable home hub
HomeView handles smart-home controls, guided cooking, music and photo displays. Its 7-inch square screen is bright and responsive, and a Center Stage camera keeps callers in frame during FaceTime calls.
The tabletop model is light enough to move around the kitchen, while a wall-mounted version is also available. Both cost $299. Sound is strong for the device’s size, though it is less room-filling than a HomePod Mini 2.
Shared device, personal data
HomeView can show texts, calendars and reminders from an iPhone or iPad when the phone is at home and connected to the same Wi-Fi network. That gives household members convenient access, but makes a shared screen a place where personal information can appear.
The reviewer said authentication checks and repeated handoffs to her iPhone disrupted hands-free use. She could also read her 15-year-old daughter’s messages, and her daughter could read hers. Her daughter’s response was, “I’ll just use my iPhone.”
Different reactions at home
The reviewer’s husband, described as largely tech-averse, liked HomeView and asked for one for his office. The reviewer said it could suit Apple-focused households, particularly where children mainly need lights and music rather than access to adults’ messages.
Apple is entering a market where Amazon and Google have offered smart displays for close to a decade. HomeView brings a polished screen and useful home features, but its mix of communal controls and personal phone data may not work for every family.
Key points
- HomeView costs $299 and comes in tabletop and wall-mounted versions.
- Its 7-inch screen supports home controls, cooking, video calls and customizable photo displays.
- The device can show personal information from an iPhone or iPad on the same home Wi-Fi network.
- The reviewer’s daughter preferred using her iPhone after messages were accessible on the shared display.