This week, Apple made the following announcements focusing on products for the home. These include an all-new HomeView device, and much anticipated upgrades to Apple TV and the HomePod mini.
Apple HomeView
HomeView is Apple’s first dedicated smart home hub, and the product the whole launch was built around. It has a 7-inch Liquid Retina display and is meant to handle everything from controlling connected devices and making FaceTime calls to playing music and keeping the household organised.
It can recognise your face and, when paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled device, answer questions drawn from your Messages, Calendar, Reminders and Find My apps through the new Siri AI. It comes as a tabletop version that sits on a speaker base, in Silver, Starlight, Rose Pink and Space Gray, or as a wall-mounted version in Space Gray and Silver. Both cost $399, with pre-orders open on October 15, 9am SGT. It ships from 13 November.
Apple TV 4K
The fourth-generation Apple TV 4K is the first update to Apple’s streaming box in several years, and it keeps the look of the previous model while upgrading what’s inside. The A19 chip powers the new hardware, which adds Siri AI support and a redesigned Siri Remote with Find My and Precision Finding so you can track it down when it slips between the sofa cushions. You can ask Siri to find something to watch, and during playback ask about the actors, the filming location or whether a title suits children, with answers appearing in a small overlay. It also supports surround sound using four HomePods in front and rear pairs. It costs $399 and is coming soon to Singapore (date TBC).
HomePod mini 2
The HomePod mini 2 is the first refresh of Apple’s compact speaker since 2020. It costs $199 and brings Siri AI, a Sound Glow light effect and four-speaker surround sound. A more capable S10 chip drives it, and Siri AI support will arrive in a later software update, letting it answer questions from your apps when paired with a compatible iPhone or iPad. It can also tell up to six people in a household apart by voice. The top of the speaker glows and pulses in time with whatever it’s playing, and it comes in Pink, Green, Blue, White and Midnight. It goes on sale 30 October.
Apple Home Collection
The Apple Home Collection is a range of third-party accessories that Apple is selling alongside its own devices, made with LG and Schneider Electric. It covers indoor and outdoor cameras, a video doorbell, a door lock, thermostats and temperature sensors. The LG smart deadbolt uses Ultra Wideband to sense when you’re approaching and unlock with your iPhone, and it also works with Apple Watch, a PIN pad or a hidden physical key. Schneider’s wireless thermostat runs for up to three years on its batteries. Everything connects to HomeView, HomePod mini 2 and Apple TV 4K, and can be managed in the Apple Home app on iPhone. Orders open in December, though some items won’t ship until early 2027.
