TL;DR
A CNET reviewer’s two-week test found Apple HomeView effective for managing HomeKit devices, calendars and household lists, with strong audio and individual Face ID profiles. The $299 display has a compact screen and Apple ecosystem limits, and the source material does not establish how well it handles every household’s apps or devices.
A CNET reviewer’s two-week test of Apple HomeView found that the $299 display can bring HomeKit controls, calendars, music and household lists into one compact device, while also exposing limits that may matter to buyers: a small screen and reliance on Apple’s ecosystem. The assessment describes a useful centerpiece for homes already using Apple services, but not an obvious replacement for Alexa- or Google-based displays in mixed-device households.
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The reviewer used HomeView at a desk and in a living room, connecting it to Apple calendars, playing music, controlling smart-home devices, and creating grocery lists and reminders. The review says the display worked with HomeKit and Matter devices. It also reports that family members can have personalized Face ID profiles, with profiles available for up to six people, though the source does not detail which functions are restricted by each profile.
The device has a 7-inch, 1,088-by-1,088-pixel Liquid Retina IPS display, an Apple A18 chip and a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera. The reviewer praised its vivid screen, responsive scrolling and room-filling sound from two full-range drivers, a down-firing woofer and dual force-canceling passive radiators. They said the sound was suitable for a large living room, while noting they would not replace a Bose SoundLink Max for regular listening.
The review also describes customizable clock faces, widgets and photo displays, including an animated Snoopy face. The screen tilts, and its ambient-light sensor and True Tone adjust brightness and color temperature. The reviewer found the display convenient on a desk and bedside table, but said the screen sometimes felt too small. The wall-mounted version has different, wall-tuned audio drivers and omits the woofer and passive radiators, according to the review.
What Apple HomeView Gets Right and Wrong About Smart Home Clutter
A two-week CNET review found HomeView useful for Apple-connected homes, while its price, compact screen and ecosystem limits may matter to buyers.
One hub for daily routines
The review found HomeView brought household controls and information together in one place.
Device controls
The reviewer used it with HomeKit and Matter devices; buyers should check support for their own devices.
Lists and calendars
Calendars, reminders and grocery lists can sit alongside music and smart-home controls.
Personal profiles
Face ID profiles support up to six people, though the review does not detail profile access limits.
A polished screen and speaker
The reviewer praised the vivid display, responsive scrolling and room-filling sound, but found the screen small at times.
- Tilting screen with adjustable brightness and color temperature
- Audio described as suitable for a large living room
- Different, wall-tuned audio drivers
- No woofer or passive radiators; same price as tabletop
Check fit before buying
The review reflects one Apple-centered household, not a broad test across devices, apps or network setups.
Confirm your devices, calendars and preferred apps work with HomeView.
Apple service users may find the integrations useful; mixed-platform or Android households may prefer Echo or Nest.
Compare tabletop and wall-mounted placement, including their different speaker setups.
A Hub for Apple-Connected Homes
HomeView’s appeal in this account is less about inventing the smart display than about giving Apple households a shared control point for devices and everyday information. Calendars, reminders, grocery lists, music and home controls can sit together on a screen that also serves as a speaker and photo display. That combination may reduce the need to check separate phones or apps for routine household tasks.
The trade-off is that a device built around Apple services may be less useful to people who rely on Android, Alexa or a mix of platforms. At $299, the choice is not simply whether the screen looks attractive: buyers also need to weigh compatibility and whether the HomeView’s smaller display suits the room and tasks they have in mind.
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Where HomeView Fits Among Displays
Smart displays with voice assistants, speakers, cameras and video calling already include products such as Amazon’s Echo Show line and Google’s Nest Hub family. The source review characterizes HomeView as Apple’s first device designed specifically for its HomeKit ecosystem, rather than as a new category of product.
The reviewer compared it with an aging 2023 Echo Show 8, while cautioning that the comparison was not fully like-for-like. The source points to a newer 8.7-inch Echo Show 8 with an HD display, a faster chip, spatial audio, a 13-megapixel camera and Alexa Plus as a closer competitor. HomeView’s reported strengths are its Apple integrations, compact footprint, premium build and audio; the review’s stated drawbacks include its $299 price, ecosystem restrictions and screen size.
“The source review calls HomeView “Apple’s first device designed specifically for Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem.””
— CNET reviewer Ajay Kumar
Compatibility and Price Trade-Offs
The source describes the reviewer’s experience with a particular Apple-centered household, not a broad test across different homes, device brands or network setups. It does not specify which third-party apps are unavailable, how the device behaves with every Matter product, or how Face ID profiles handle access to personal and shared information. The review’s concern that Apple’s walled garden may restrict some apps is a stated limitation, but the supplied material does not identify those apps or quantify the effect.
The source also does not give a publication date, sales figures, independent measurements of audio or display performance, or a detailed comparison against current competing models. Its judgment that HomeView is worth the price for Apple users is the reviewer’s assessment, not evidence that it will suit every HomeKit household. Buyers should confirm that their preferred services and devices work with it before purchasing.
Check Services Before Buying
The supplied material does not report a scheduled software update, follow-up test or other next milestone. For readers considering HomeView, the immediate next step is to check Apple’s current compatibility information for their smart-home devices, calendars and preferred apps, then compare the tabletop and wall-mounted models. The source review specifically notes that the wall version changes the speaker setup while costing the same.
How HomeView performs across a wider range of households remains to be established by further testing. Until then, the review’s clearest guidance is conditional: it favors the device for people already invested in Apple services and HomeKit, while suggesting Android users and households split across platforms consider established alternatives.
Key Questions
What is Apple HomeView?
According to the source review, HomeView is a smart display designed for Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem. It combines a screen, camera, speakers and smart-home controls with features for calendars, photos, reminders and household lists.
How much does HomeView cost?
The supplied review lists HomeView at $299. It says the wall-mounted version costs the same as the tabletop model, although its speaker hardware differs.
Does HomeView work with Matter devices?
The reviewer reports using HomeView with HomeKit and Matter smart-home devices. The source does not provide a full compatibility list, so buyers should check whether their specific devices are supported.
What are the main drawbacks described in the review?
The review cites the $299 price, a screen that felt small at times, possible restrictions from Apple’s ecosystem and reduced speaker hardware on the wall-mounted model. It does not identify specific unsupported apps.
Who may be a better fit for another smart display?
The review suggests Android users and households using a mix of platforms may prefer an Echo or Nest display. That is the reviewer’s assessment; the best choice depends on the services and devices each household uses.
Source: cnet.com
