Before You Buy Apple HomeView: What $299 Gets You (and What Costs Extra)
HomeView goes on sale Friday, November 13, for $299. Here is what is in the box, what costs extra, what it needs to work, and one Siri problem Apple has said it will fix.
Apple HomeView goes on sale Friday, November 13, 2026, for $299. Before you order one, it is worth knowing what that price covers, what it does not, what the device needs to work, and one problem Apple has already promised to fix.
What you get
HomeView is a 7-inch square touchscreen on a speaker base, running on the A18 chip. The display is 1088 by 1088 pixels and goes from 500 nits all the way down to 0.3 nits, so it can sit on a nightstand without lighting up the room.
For sound, there are two drivers in the display, plus a woofer and two passive radiators in the base. A 12MP Center Stage camera handles FaceTime. It also recognizes up to six people and switches to each person's own screen.
HomeView also works as a home hub, with Thread and Matter. You do not need a HomePod or an Apple TV for that.
What costs extra
The tabletop model includes the cable and the power adapter. The wall-mounted model does not include the mount. The wall version is also $299, but the mount is sold separately, from $59.95. That puts the real starting price on a wall at about $359.
The wall version also has no woofer, and it comes in two colors instead of four.
What it needs
- Setup requires an iPhone or iPad on version 27.2 or later. There is no Android option.
- The personal features, like your calendar and messages, need an iPhone or iPad that supports Apple Intelligence on the same Wi-Fi network.
- It has no battery, so it always stays plugged in.
- There is no physical switch for the camera or microphones. You turn them off in software.
Siri AI launches in beta
Siri AI is the headline feature, and it launches in beta. It is English only at first, and some features have daily usage limits. Apple says expanded access will cost a fee later, and it has not given a price.
One known problem
An early review in the newsletter The New Things found that Siri refused to open the garage door or unlock the front door, even after recognizing the reviewer. MacRumors reports that Apple plans to fix it with a software update in December.
HomeView makes the most sense if your home already runs on iPhones and Apple Home, and you want it on a counter. The tabletop model includes everything. Consider waiting if you want it on the wall, if anyone in the house uses Android, or if Siri controlling your locks is the reason you're buying.