Apple is preparing a new smart home hub called HomeView, giving its Apple-powered home setup a dedicated command center. The device will serve as a place where users can control connected accessories through Siri, Apple’s Home app, or other Apple devices.
HomeView is expected to start shipping in mid-November, a few weeks after the release of Apple’s updated HomePod mini and Apple TV. Its big debut is planned for Apple’s “Welcome home” event, which will take place on October 13 at 9AM ET in Tribeca, New York.
Greg Joswiak announced the event with the message, “Welcome home. October 13.” Apple announced the second event of the fall on October 8, and the event is expected to focus on smart home products, including the refreshed Apple TV, a new HomePod mini, and the unveiling of the HomePad.
Two HomeView designs for different rooms
The HomeView will come in two versions. The countertop model will feature a metal speaker base and will be available in space gray, silver, starlight, and pink. That design places the device among the products meant to sit in a visible spot around the home.
Apple will also offer a wall-mounted model, but its color choices will be narrower. The wall-mounted HomeView will come only in space gray and silver, giving users a choice between a compact countertop device and a product designed to stay attached to a wall.
The device will act as a Siri command center for a user’s Apple-powered smart home. Apple wants people to connect third-party accessories through Siri, the Home app, or Apple devices, so HomeView will work as part of a larger control system rather than as an isolated product.
There is one clear limit to the plan: HomeView will support only a limited selection of Apple apps and will not have access to the App Store. Unlike Apple’s other hardware, it will not function as a general-purpose device where users can download a broad range of apps.
HomeView joins a larger smart home push
Apple is also working with LG on smart home devices, including doorbells, thermostats, outdoor security cameras, and more. Third-party products from LG are expected to arrive later this year at the earliest, giving Apple’s smart home plans a wider range of devices beyond its own hardware.
In Europe, Apple is working with Schneider Electric SE on smart home devices. Those products will be available under the “Apple Home Collection,” creating a separate group of smart home products for the European market.
The timing points to a busy stretch for Apple’s home products. The new HomePod mini, expected to use the S10 chip, and the new Apple TV set-top box, expected to use the A19 chip, are expected to ship and reach Apple stores on October 30. HomeView will follow in mid-November.
How the HomePad fits into Apple’s plans
The October 13 event is also expected to introduce the HomePad, a product rumored to have a seven-inch display and a new operating system called homeOS. Its dashboard is expected to resemble the iPhone’s StandBy mode, which would give users a dedicated view for home controls and other content.
HomePad is expected to use face and voice recognition to personalize content. It will support control of smart home products, FaceTime calls, video and music streaming, and intercom communication, making it a broader home screen than the HomeView device described as Apple’s Siri command center.
Recent macOS beta code suggests the revamped speaker may gain a display with an Apple Watch-style interface. That detail adds another possibility to Apple’s developing lineup, where speakers, displays, hubs, and streaming devices could each handle different jobs around the home.
Apple may also have filed to trademark the word “HomeView.” The name would mark a clear shift in how the company presents its smart home hardware, especially as Apple brings together Siri, the Home app, third-party accessories, and products from LG and Schneider Electric SE.
For now, the key dates are close together. Apple’s event is set for October 13, the new HomePod mini and Apple TV are expected on October 30, and HomeView is expected to arrive in November. The launch will show whether Apple’s smart home strategy centers on a simple Siri hub, a display-based HomePad, or a combination of both.
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