Apple has launched its new HomeView smart display, now available for preorder in India at $299. The device features a 7-inch screen, an A18 chip, and a new Siri AI assistant, aiming to offer a personalized smart home experience.
Apple has begun taking preorders for its new HomeView smart display, which is available in India starting at $299 (around ₹25,000 before import duties and taxes). The device, featuring a 7-inch screen and a new Siri AI assistant, was announced recently, with deliveries expected to commence on November 13.
Indian buyers can order the HomeView now, alongside customers in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Singapore will follow with availability on October 15, while South Africa will offer it through authorized resellers. Notably, the European Union is entirely excluded from the launch, as the core Siri AI assistant remains unavailable in iOS across the bloc. Apple has stated it is working with EU officials to resolve this.
On paper, the HomeView looks like Apple's answer to smart displays like the Google Nest Hub and Amazon Echo Show devices already popular in India. The HomeView runs on Apple's A18 chip and offers face recognition for up to six people, providing each with a personal Home Screen featuring their specific apps and widgets. This deep personalization is a key differentiator.
Privacy is also a focus. Messages and Calendar content on the HomeView only appear when the recognized owner is nearby and their paired iPhone or iPad has been recently unlocked. Shared photo albums and music, however, remain accessible to guests. Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, highlighted this balance, saying the device should be shared by a whole household "yet feel completely personal to each user." He emphasized Siri AI as the product's core, though it currently works only in English across eight markets.
The HomeView comes in two versions, both priced at $299. There's a tabletop unit with a distinctive domed speaker base, available in four colors. The wall model, which requires a separate mount starting at $59.95, is offered in two colors. The wall version also lacks the tabletop model's down-firing woofer and two force-cancelling passive radiators, suggesting a difference in audio performance between the two.
This launch follows weeks of leaks, with reporter Mark Gurman initially tipping a 6-inch screen and an iMac G4-inspired design on September 30. He later confirmed the HomeView name, the A18 chip, a mid-November ship date, and the absence of an App Store on October 11. Gurman also noted that this new lineup, which includes a refreshed Apple TV 4K, a new HomePod mini, and accessories made with LG, represents a significant push by Apple to catch up in the smart home market and further integrate buyers into the iPhone ecosystem after a decade of falling behind.
For Indian users, the HomeView presents a compelling option if you are already invested in Apple's ecosystem. The personalized experience and robust privacy features sound promising. However, the English-only limitation for Siri AI at launch is something to consider, especially given the diverse linguistic landscape in India. We will have to see if Apple plans to expand language support for Siri AI in the future, which would make the HomeView even more appealing to a broader audience here.
