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Apple used its Welcome Home event to announce the HomeView smart display, a Home Collection of cameras and other connected devices, the HomePod Mini 2 and a new Apple TV 4K. HomeView starts at $299, while several products are scheduled to arrive from October through December; availability and some software features vary by market and date.
Apple announced a new lineup of smart home and entertainment products at its Tuesday Welcome Home event, led by the $299 HomeView, a display for household communication and device control. The company also introduced new cameras, a video doorbell, a smart lock and thermostats, alongside a HomePod Mini 2 and updated Apple TV 4K, marking a broad push into a market long led by Amazon and Google.
The HomeView has a 7-inch Liquid Retina display and Apple’s A18 chip. It can be placed on a tabletop or mounted on a wall, and supports FaceTime, music playback and smart home controls through touch or voice. Apple says it can recognize up to six people, with a personalized home screen for each. Its Home Camera view can show as many as nine video feeds at once. Both mounting styles cost $299; separate wall mounts are priced at $60 and $80, with a third, $130 mount due in early 2027.
HomeView works with Apple’s new Home Collection as well as Matter and Works with Apple Home accessories. The collection includes four LG cameras: a $250 dual-camera video doorbell, a $400 floodlight camera, and $200 outdoor and indoor cameras. The indoor model tilts down to stop monitoring when residents are home, Apple said. Other products include a $350 LG smart deadbolt, plus $200 thermostats from LG and Schneider Electric and $40 temperature sensors. The devices are expected to begin arriving in December, with some accessories scheduled for early 2027.
Apple also announced the $149 HomePod Mini 2, available in five colors and designed to sync with other HomePods and Apple TV. Apple says a new Apple TV 4K can pair with up to four HomePod speakers for surround sound. The TV box uses an A19 chip. HomePod Mini 2 preorders begin Tuesday in the United States and about two dozen other countries and regions, with availability starting Oct. 30. Apple said Siri AI access on the speaker will arrive in a future software update.
Apple Expands Its Home Ecosystem
The announcements put Apple’s home-control ambitions into a single product family: a shared display, cameras, entry devices, climate controls and connected speakers. For existing Apple households, the lineup offers a route to manage several kinds of home devices through the company’s ecosystem rather than separate products and services.
Apple is also making privacy and ease of setup part of its pitch. The company says camera footage is processed locally or through Private Cloud Compute, and that iCloud Plus subscribers can store up to 10 days of encrypted video history. Those are Apple’s descriptions of its system; the practical experience will depend on product availability, software and the household’s chosen setup.
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A Broader Smart Home Push
Apple has for years played a smaller role in the smart home than Amazon and Google, whose products include voice assistants, displays and connected-device platforms. The Welcome Home event presents a more coordinated effort, pairing Apple-branded control and entertainment products with hardware made by LG and Schneider Electric.
Apple highlighted straightforward setup as a potential advantage. Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, told CNET that users can add the new products by holding an iPhone near them, comparing the process with pairing Apple headphones or a Watch. That is an analyst’s assessment of the setup approach, not evidence yet of how the products will perform in homes.
“Apple HomeView is designed to be shared by everyone in the home yet feel completely personal to each user.”
— Greg Joswiak, Apple senior vice president of worldwide marketing
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Availability and Features Still Vary
HomeView will not be sold in EU countries at launch, according to the report, because Siri AI is not available there in iOS. Apple has not provided a date for EU availability in the supplied material. Siri AI access on HomePod Mini 2 is also not ready at launch and is due in a future software update, with no specific release date given.
The source material does not give full pricing or availability details for every market and product, and some accessories are not expected until early 2027. Apple’s statements about privacy processing and encrypted video storage describe its intended service; further details about implementation and any regional differences remain unclear here.
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Preorders and Rollout Dates
HomeView preorders begin Tuesday in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India, followed by Thursday in Singapore and Friday in South Africa. Apple lists Nov. 13 as the availability date in those markets. The HomePod Mini 2 becomes available Oct. 30 after preorders begin Tuesday in the United States and about two dozen other countries and regions.
The Home Collection is scheduled to start arriving in December, while certain accessories are due in early 2027. Buyers will need to check local Apple listings for product-specific dates, prices and compatibility details as the rollout proceeds.
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Key Questions
What is Apple HomeView?
HomeView is a $299 smart display with a 7-inch screen and A18 chip. Apple says it supports FaceTime, music, smart home controls and personalized screens for up to six recognized household members.
When does HomeView go on sale?
Apple’s announced availability date is Nov. 13 in the listed launch markets. Preorders begin on different days depending on the country, starting Tuesday in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India.
What products are in Apple’s Home Collection?
The collection includes LG indoor and outdoor cameras, a floodlight camera, a video doorbell and smart deadbolt, as well as thermostats from LG and Schneider Electric and separate temperature sensors.
Does the HomePod Mini 2 include Siri AI at launch?
No. Apple said Siri AI access will arrive in a future software update. The company did not give a release date in the supplied report.
Will HomeView be available in Europe?
The supplied report says HomeView will not be available in EU countries at launch because Siri AI is unavailable in iOS there. It does not give a date for a possible European release.
Source: rss
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