Apple launches $299 HomeView smart home display on Nov. 13, 2026

Apple will begin selling HomeView in the United States on November 13, 2026, offering tabletop and wall-mounted models at $299 apiece. Apple announced the smart home display on October 13, 2026, setting the same price and release date for U.S. customers. Apple set a firm release schedule for the United States when it introduced the smart home display. The tabletop model can be pre-ordered on Amazon.

Each model includes a 7-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone and adjustable brightness from 0.3 to 500 nits. The device supports FaceTime, Siri AI, and smart home controls. The wall-mounted version lacks a woofer and requires a separate mount priced from $59.95 to $129.95.

Apple delayed the launch until November 2026 because it needed to integrate Siri AI, which powers personalized and conversational interactions. The company said Siri AI’s personal context and natural language capabilities were critical to the product’s value proposition.

HomeView will not be available in the European Union at launch because Siri AI is unavailable in the region, despite regulatory discussions. Apple is working constructively with the European Union to resolve the issue. The restriction stems from Siri AI’s unavailability rather than the hardware itself.

The display supports up to six household profiles using facial recognition, personalizing Messages, Calendar, and Reminders for each user. Privacy protections require authentication for sensitive requests. HomeView’s software runs on tvOS, with a Liquid Glass slider for interface customization and QuickPath swipe typing. The device supports Wi-Fi only, despite virtualized demonstrations showing Ethernet.

HomeView centralizes smart home controls, video calls, and personal information management using Siri AI and facial recognition. The device puts household controls, FaceTime, and personal data like Messages and Calendar on a single 7-inch screen. Both models offer similar features but differ in audio capabilities.

The security camera feature integrates with HomeKit Secure Video, enabling motion detection, live-streaming, and recording while maintaining privacy controls. The capability aligns with Apple’s broader push for AI-powered home security.

Code strings in HomeView Software 27.2 suggest a future security camera feature that would use the built-in camera for HomeKit Secure Video streaming and recording. A settings message in the software states: “Your HomeView can be used as a security camera with HomeKit Secure Video.” Iclarified and AppleInsider say the feature may arrive in a future software update such as HomeView 27.3.

The security camera settings would offer four operational modes: camera off, motion detection without streaming or recording, live-streaming without recording, and both streaming and recording. Users can configure the modes based on whether the household is home, away, or asleep using device location data.

Privacy controls would restrict camera access to household members, with a green light and auditory alerts when a live stream is viewed or recording starts. Notifications would inform household members of setting changes or recording activity. Settings are managed through the iPhone’s Home app, including face recognition, activity zones, and other camera configurations, though enabling streaming or recording while people are home requires manual activation on the HomeView device itself.

The camera feature is opt-in and requires explicit activation through the Home app or a splash screen after an update. Advanced AI capabilities such as video summarization and natural language search would require an iCloud+ subscription. Gizmodo reports iCloud+ pricing starts at $10 per month for 2TB of storage for a single camera and scales to $60 for 12TB across five cameras.

Features such as video summarization and descriptive notifications depend on a connected iPhone with Apple Intelligence. The camera feature may also generate AI-powered descriptions of detected activity, such as a cat walked by or birds walked around the yard, though Gizmodo says these descriptions may vary in accuracy.

The camera feature works with HomeKit Secure Video-compatible devices, excluding devices that support only live-streaming through Apple Home. Compatible examples include Aqara’s Camera Hub G350 and Doorbell Camera G400.

HomeView’s potential security camera feature fits into Apple’s broader push to integrate AI and smart home security, which includes new LG-built cameras and locks. Those new security devices will roll out in December 2026, joining HomeView as part of Apple’s smart home accessory lineup.

The security camera functionality is currently under testing in HomeView Software 27.2 and may not be immediately available to all users. AppleInsider says Apple may focus on bug fixes over new features after launch.