Apple HomeView Explained: Features, Privacy, Price & Who It Suits

Apple HomeView is a new smart display for the home. It has a 7-inch screen, recognises the people who use it and runs Siri AI. In Australia it costs A$449¹, and it is available from Friday 13 November 2026. This guide covers what it does and what to check before you buy. It is part of our Welcome Home coverage.

What it is

HomeView brings entertainment, FaceTime calls and smart home control together on one screen. It is made of aluminium. The tabletop version has a 7-inch Liquid Retina display connected to a domed speaker base by a stainless steel hinge, so you can tilt the screen. The wall-mounted version suits an entrance or hallway.

The display has True Tone, and its brightness ranges from 500 nits for a sunny room down to 0.3 nits for a bedside, the lowest Apple has made. Some features respond to your distance, showing more information as you get closer.

It recognises people

HomeView recognises up to six people by their faces. It then shows each of them their own content in Messages, FaceTime, Calendar, Reminders and Find My. Everyone else sees the shared household screen. Apple says personal content appears only when HomeView recognises you and your paired iPhone or iPad is nearby and recently unlocked. HomeView relies on an iPhone or iPad for personal content, so it works alongside them rather than replacing them.

If you plan to put one in a shared space such as a small office, think about who should enrol, and what you are happy for it to show on screen.

Siri AI

HomeView runs Siri AI, which is a beta that works in English to start, and Apple says usage limits apply. On its own it can answer broad questions and help with music. When it is paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad, it can also draw on your personal context, such as your Calendar and Messages. Our Siri AI guide explains what it does and the limits.

Calls, music and the smart home

A 12MP Center Stage camera keeps people centred in the frame for FaceTime calls. Four beamforming microphones pick up voices across a room. Speakers in the base and display deliver Spatial Audio. It can play music, and you can hand audio across from your iPhone.

For the smart home, it has a dashboard and works as a home hub. It supports home monitoring and hands-free voice control for compatible automations.

You can choose from a range of faces. They include a Photos face, a Calendar face, a Weather face, a Snoopy face and an interactive artwork face called Flow. It can also work as a digital picture frame, using photos from your collections or shared albums.

Tabletop or wall-mounted

Both versions cost A$449¹. The tabletop model comes in four colours. The wall-mounted model comes in Space Grey and Silver. It needs a wall mount, with plug-in and wired options.

Price and availability

HomeView costs A$449¹ in Australia, for either version. Pre-orders opened on 14 October, and it is available from Friday 13 November.

Should you buy it?

HomeView suits a household that already uses iPhones and wants a shared screen in the kitchen or living area. If you only want music and voice control, HomePod mini 2 is a lower-cost option, although it has no screen. See our HomePod mini 2 guide. If you want to run a home theatre as well, see our Apple TV 4K guide.

Need a hand?

If you would like help planning or setting up a smart home, see our Smart Home & Family Safety page, or contact Your Mac Tech.

1. Prices shown are current as at October 2026.