Everything announced at Apple's 'Welcome Home' event

All about the HomeView, Homepod mini, Apple Home Collection and more.

Apple

Apple is making a bigger push into the smart home domain. The company invited press and creators to a "Welcome Home" event in New York City on Tuesday to reveal a batch of fresh products, and we'll break it all down for you right here.

Among those was a long-anticipated device in the shape of Apple's first smart home hub. In addition, we have refreshed versions of the Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini. That's not all, because Apple talked up a whole ecosystem of smart home products.

We'll be updating this story as swiftly as we can with all of the key details about the new gear. Let's dive into everything Apple announced at its Welcome Home event.

HomeView smart home hub

Apple

We've heard rumors for years that Apple was working on an iPad-style display from which you'd be able to manage smart home devices. It was described as the company's answer to Amazon's Echo Show or Google's Nest Hub. Reports suggested it would be called the HomePad, but thankfully Apple steered clear of causing any confusion with the HomePod. Instead, the device is called the HomeView.

This gizmo has a seven-square-inch Liquid Retina touch display — perhaps paving the way for the touchscreen MacBook that's said to be coming very soon — that's attached to a base with a speaker. There are two variants. You can place one on a table or countertop and mount the other to a wall. 

The display itself has two full-range drivers, which complement the down-firing woofer and two force-canceling passive radiators in the base of the countertop model. The wall-mounted version doesn't have a base, but Apple says its audio is tuned for wall placement. The screen has a maximum brightness of 500 nits and that can drop down to 0.3 nits (useful if you're using HomeView on a nightstand next to your dozing partner).

The device is powered by Apple Intelligence and it has Siri AI baked in. (Reports suggested that Apple put HomeView on ice until the delayed Siri AI was ready.)

HomeView can recognize the face of the person who's interacting with it, and automatically switch from a shared household screen to a customized interface for that individual. This should mean the user will have access to their own notifications and calendar, as it can tap into their personal data from their iPhone or iPad. You'll be able to have Apple Watch-style custom "faces" on HomeView that have four adjustable widgets and can feature things like weather details, some favorite photos and Snoopy animations.

Apple says it designed HomeView to keep users' information secure and separate. The company stressed that it doesn't track or sell your data to others.

Among other things, HomeView supports FaceTime calls. Entertainment options include music, podcasts and video streaming, and Apple says you can follow recipes while you're cooking.

The HomeView costs a surprisingly reasonable $299 for both the tabletop and wall-mountable versions. It comes in four relatively muted color options: silver, starlight, rose pink and space gray. Pre-orders open today and it'll ship on November 13. HomeView is initially available in English in eight countries.