Apple unveils $299 HomeView smart display built for Siri AI

HomeView device and pricing

Apple on Tuesday unveiled HomeView, a 7-inch smart display designed as a hub for connected devices and a showcase for the company's new Siri AI capabilities. The product starts at $299 and ships on Nov. 13, according to CNBC reporting from the company's launch event. Apple said the touchscreen device is intended to be mounted on a wall or placed on a table and can recognize individual users by their face to tailor the displayed information.

Hardware, display and audio

HomeView centers on a 7-inch square Liquid Retina display that reaches a maximum brightness of 500 nits and can dim to 0.3 nits, the lowest brightness Apple has offered on any device, according to Engadget. A 12-megapixel FaceTime camera with Center Stage sits at the top of the display. Engadget reports that a tabletop version with a base includes a down-firing woofer and two force-canceling passive radiators paired with two full-range drivers, connected to the screen by a stainless steel hinge that allows the viewing angle to be adjusted. The base model comes in Silver, Starlight, Rose Pink and Space Gray. Apple also offers a wall-mounted version without the base, with the same overall functionality. There are no physical buttons on the device; interaction is limited to the touchscreen and voice.

Siri AI and personalized faces

Apple built HomeView for its new Siri AI, which the company released last month, CNBC reports. The company says Siri can answer a broad range of questions on the device, that conversations started with HomeView will continue on a user's iPhone or iPad, and that the device can personalize content by pulling data from a household member's iPhone or iPad. Engadget describes customizable "Faces" that function as passive screens showing art, photos and clock designs, and a Home screen with four widget areas, similar to customizing an Apple Watch interface. Apple's chief marketer Greg Joswiak said in a statement that the device "recognizes your face to shift from a household screen to your own experience, fills the room with incredible sound, keeps you connected to the people who matter most with FaceTime, and makes it easy to control your smart home."

Accompanying Apple TV and HomePod updates

Alongside HomeView, Apple announced a new Apple TV 4K priced at $299 with a redesigned remote that can play a sound if it is lost, CNBC reports. The company also introduced new color options for its HomePod Mini, priced at $149, an increase from the previous $129. Khaama Press reports that the announcements were framed as part of Apple's broader push to expand its smart home business. The launch event was the second under new CEO John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook in September, CNBC adds.

Next milestone

Apple's stated ship date for HomeView is Nov. 13, the next verifiable milestone tied to the device's release.