LEGACY & INSIGHTS
Apple’s New Home Technology Takes Center Stage
Apple smart home products bring a pricier Apple TV 4K, deeper iPhone ties and Siri AI features that are still arriving.
Apple smart home products arrive with a pricier Apple TV 4K and Siri AI features still to come. The company announced HomeView, a new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini 2 on October 13. Preorders are open, but nothing has shipped, so independent reviews are still to come.
HomeView Brings Apple Smart Home Products to the Counter
HomeView is Apple’s new smart display and home hub, with a 7-inch Liquid Retina screen on a tilting hinge. Apple says automatic brightness adjusts from 500 nits down to 0.3 nits, which it calls ideal for the nightstand. Also, FaceTime and Center Stage keep callers framed as they move around the room. A countertop model and a wall-mounted version are tuned for their placement, and an A18 chip powers both.
“Apple HomeView is designed to be shared by everyone in the home yet feel completely personal to each user,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. In practice, Messages and Calendar content appear only when HomeView recognizes the enrolled user’s face. A paired iPhone or iPad must also be present and recently unlocked.
HomeView costs $299 in either form, and preorders opened October 13 for shipping from November 13. However, setup needs a compatible iPhone or iPad, and personal context requests need an Apple Intelligence-enabled one. Power mounts for the wall model start at $59.95. Apple is also not selling HomeView in the European Union, because Siri AI is unavailable there. Still, it says it is working with the EU toward a path forward.
The New Apple TV 4K Brings a Faster Chip to Apple Smart Home Products
The fourth-generation Apple TV 4K uses an A19 chip. Apple says that means up to 50% faster CPU and 2x faster GPU performance than the previous model. It also adds an AV1 decoder for efficient streaming and three far-field microphones for hands-free Siri AI.
Meanwhile, the price is $299, with preorders open for November 13 availability. That is about 132% above the $129 entry price of the third-generation model at its 2022 launch, iMore reported. Therefore, reviews must show whether the A19 chip and Siri AI justify the jump. The new Siri Remote adds Find My support with Precision Finding, and Apple also sells it separately. Siri AI also arrives in beta on second-generation and later models, so some owners can try it without new hardware.
HomePod mini 2 Arrives First Among Apple Smart Home Products, Without Siri AI
HomePod mini 2 costs $149 and reaches stores on October 30, two weeks before HomeView and Apple TV 4K. It uses an S10 chip and comes in five colors. Sound Glow also adds a top surface that pulses with the music. However, Siri AI is not included at launch, and Apple says it will arrive in a future software update.
For surround sound, two matched pairs of HomePod mini 2 or second-generation HomePod speakers can form a four-speaker surround setup with the new Apple TV 4K. Because the names are similar, full-size HomePod and older HomePod mini models, including refurbished units, are different products.
Apple Smart Home Products Work Best Together
Siri AI’s status varies by device. HomeView offers it in beta, older Apple TV 4K models get a beta, and HomePod mini 2 must wait for a later update. Personal context depends on a paired iPhone or iPad with Apple Intelligence, although Siri AI’s general knowledge works without one. Apple also announced the Apple Home Collection, cameras, a lock and thermostats made with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric. Availability begins in December, with some accessories in 2027.
Apple says Siri requests on HomeView can use on-device processing or Private Cloud Compute, where data is not stored or accessible to Apple or anyone else. Still, those are company claims awaiting independent review.
Signal Breakdown
Apple smart home products tie a display, a streaming box and a speaker to Siri AI. Overall, the iPhone stays the key that unlocks the personal features.
What Is Genuinely New
- HomeView. Apple’s first smart display and home hub, a 7-inch screen with an A18 chip (Apple).
- Apple TV 4K. A fourth generation with an A19 chip, far-field microphones and Siri AI (Apple).
- HomePod mini 2. An S10 chip, Sound Glow and new colors, with Siri AI to come later (Apple).
Confirmed for Preorder
- HomeView. $299, preorders open since October 13, shipping November 13 (Apple).
- Apple TV 4K. $299, preorders open since October 13, availability November 13 (Apple).
- HomePod mini 2. $149, preorders open since October 13, in stores October 30 (Apple).
Not Yet Verified
Available reporting does not establish:
- how the devices perform, since reviews of shipping hardware are pending
- when HomePod mini 2 will receive Siri AI
- whether the new Siri Remote ships in the Apple TV 4K box
- whether the $129 comparison matches the new model’s entry configuration, since iMore reported the 2022 price
- independent confirmation of Apple’s privacy claims
- a verified Amazon listing for HomePod mini 2
Before You Buy
- Check that you own a compatible iPhone or iPad, and an Apple Intelligence-enabled one for personal features.
- Confirm that Siri AI is offered where you live.
- Compare the new models with older HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K units.
- Wait for reviews if the price gives you pause.
What to Weigh Before Buying Apple Smart Home Products
Apple smart home products make the most sense for households that already use an iPhone or iPad. Because nothing has shipped, waiting for reviews costs little, and HomePod mini 2 launches without its headline feature. Buyers should not mistake a refurbished HomePod mini for the new model.
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