Apple HomeView: the connected screen with Siri AI that is shunning Europe

It was expected under the HomePad name, but it will ultimately be called HomeView. After years of rumors, the Californian manufacturer today finally unveiled, on the occasion of its big Welcome Home event, its home automation hub to compete with Google’s famous Nest Hub. This small screen aims to be the new nerve center of the connected home for the whole family.

 

HomeView, Liquid Retina display and iPhone 16 chip Visually, the HomeView adopts a fairly compact square format measuring 14.5 cm on each side, echoing in its lines the design of early 2000s iMacs. It features a 7" (17.78 cm) Liquid Retina touchscreen with a resolution of 1,088 x 1,088 pixels. To sit easily on a bedside table without disturbing sleep, the screen offers a minimum brightness of 0.3 nit, with a peak of up to 500 nits in broad daylight. Under the hood, Apple does not hold back and integrates the A18 chip, the same processor recently introduced on the iPhone 16. Connectivity includes support for [abc]Wi-Fi[/abc] 6E and [abc]Bluetooth[/abc] 6.0.

 

 

HomeView: spatial audio, Center Stage and home automation hub Given its multimedia nature, the screen benefits from a serious acoustic setup. The base houses two full-range speakers, a downward-firing woofer and two force-cancelling passive radiators to ensure deep bass. The whole system is compatible with Spatial Audio and integrates seamlessly as a link in a multiroom chain via [abc]AirPlay[/abc], notably with HomePod speakers or Apple TV. On the video-calling side, a 12 MP camera with Center Stage lets you make FaceTime calls, via a network of four microphones capable of drastically reducing background noise. Naturally, the device acts as a super-hub for the Home app: it can display up to nine camera video feeds simultaneously, detect the sound of smoke or carbon monoxide alarms to alert you on iPhone, and includes temperature and humidity sensors. Various interactive watch faces (Photos, Snoopy, calendar, interactive Flow) also make it possible to customize the display throughout the day.

 

 

HomeView, the European blockade linked to Siri AI and the DMA If the technical specifications are appealing, it is a cold shower for the Old Continent. The HomeView will simply not, for the time being, be sold within the European Union. The reason is the integration of Siri AI. The next-generation assistant powered by Apple Intelligence at the heart of the device, designed to process requests by cross-referencing your personal data (messages, calendar), is closed to third-party AIs, thus violating the European Digital Markets Act (DMA). This requires gatekeepers to open up to competition. Refusing to allow third-party AIs (such as ChatGPT) potentially to access this ultra-private data within its OS, Apple is blocking the rollout of Siri AI on its mobile systems in Europe. Since the HomeView is closely tied to an iPhone or an iPad to deploy its features, it falls under this restriction, thus depriving Europe of the device.

 

Available for pre-order, exclusively on the US market, with first deliveries expected on November 13, 2026. Indicative price: $299. Note that two versions are offered at the same price, a classic tabletop model and a wall-mounted version.

 

 

Reminder of the key specifications of the Apple HomeView:

• Type: connected screen and home automation hub

• Screen: 7" Liquid Retina touchscreen (square format, 14.5 cm on each side)

• Resolution: 1,088 x 1,088 pixels with brightness adjustable from 0.3 to 500 nits

• Processor: A18 chip

• Camera: 12 MP with Center Stage feature for FaceTime

• Audio: 2 full-range speakers, 1 woofer, 2 passive radiators, Spatial Audio compatibility

• Mics: array of 4 microphones with background noise reduction

• Connectivity: [abc]Wi-Fi[/abc] 6E and [abc]Bluetooth[/abc] 6.0

• Smart features: Siri AI voice assistant via Apple Intelligence

• Home automation: hub for the Home app, display of 9 simultaneous camera feeds, temperature/humidity sensors, alarm detection (smoke/carbon monoxide)

• Customization: interactive watch faces (Photos, Snoopy, Flow, Weather)

• Price and availability: $299, release on November 13, 2026 in the United States (unavailable in the European Union)