Apple launches HomeView smart display and HomePod mini 2 with Siri AI

Apple has expanded its smart home ecosystem with the announcement of HomeView, the company's first dedicated smart display, and the HomePod mini 2. Both devices center on the integration of Siri AI, a virtual assistant available as a free software update in English for users in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, and India.

HomeView: A Personalized Hub

The HomeView is a 7-inch Liquid Retina display featuring True Tone and brightness levels reaching 500 nits, which can drop to 0.3 nits for use as a nightstand clock. The device consists of a square touchscreen joined to an aluminium domed speaker base by a stainless steel hinge, allowing users to tilt the screen. It is available in Silver, Starlight, Rose Pink, and Space Grey.

Running on the A18 chip, the HomeView utilizes facial recognition to support up to six different users. This allows the device to serve as a communal screen that remains personal; the display switches Home Screens, apps, and widgets based on who is looking at it. To protect privacy, sensitive content from Calendar, Messages, and FaceTime only appears if the recognized user's iPhone or iPad is nearby and has been recently unlocked.

Audio is delivered through a system comprising two custom full-range drivers in the display, a down-firing woofer, and two force-cancelling passive radiators in the base. Apple says its computational audio system adjusts volume and bass response in real time.

Intelligence and Interface

The device incorporates Siri AI, offering capabilities similar to those in iOS 27, such as answering general knowledge questions and referencing personal information across compatible apps. Users can interact via touch or voice, as the device lacks physical buttons. The interface includes customizable "faces"—such as Snoopy, Flow, and Photos—alongside modular widgets for climate and to-do lists.

For home management, the HomeView acts as a Matter controller and Thread Border Router. It can display up to nine simultaneous camera feeds via the Home Camera face and provide step-by-step recipes for kitchen use. Video calls are supported through FaceTime with Center Stage.

HomePod mini 2 and Audio Ecosystem

The HomePod mini 2 succeeds the original small speaker, utilizing the S10 chipset for real-time sound tuning. It is available in White, Midnight, Blue, Green, and Pink. A new "Sound Glow" feature allows the top of the speaker to pulse with colors derived from album art or calming animations based on selected soundscapes, such as rain.

The HomePod mini 2 can function alone, as a stereo pair, or across multiple rooms. In a first for the product line, four HomePod mini 2 units can be paired with an Apple TV 4K to create a surround sound home theatre setup. The speaker also integrates with Mac for calls, games, and movies.

Like the HomeView, the HomePod mini 2 recognizes up to six people by voice and serves as a home hub capable of controlling thermostats, lights, and blinds. It can also detect carbon monoxide and smoke alarms.

The Apple Home Collection

Alongside the hardware, Apple introduced the Apple Home Collection, a line of accessories co-developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric.

"Apple Home Collection makes it easy to choose smart home accessories with confidence,"

Matthew Costello, Apple’s vice president of Hardware Engineering, via Thurrott

The collection includes indoor and outdoor cameras, temperature sensors, thermostats, and a smart lock. The LG Video Doorbell, priced at $249.95, features a 2.5K resolution front camera and a full HD bottom camera for package monitoring. All collection products use end-to-end encryption, meaning LG, Schneider Electric, and Apple cannot read the Home app data.

Product	US Price	India Price	Sale Date
HomeView (Standard/Wall)	$299	Rs. 39,900	November 13, 2026
HomePod mini 2	$149	Not listed	October 30, 2026
LG Video Doorbell	$249.95	Not listed	Available now

Installation and Accessories

The wall-mounted HomeView model is available in Space Grey and Silver and utilizes mounts by Schneider Home. Accessory pricing for the wall model includes:

• USB Type-C wall connector: $59.95
• AC Wired mount: $79.95
• Power over Ethernet (PoE) mount: $129.95 (Arriving early 2027)

Privacy and Availability

Apple states that the A18 chip employs Secure Exclaves and compartmentalised runtimes to isolate camera and microphone data from the rest of the system. While the devices are rolling out globally, the HomeView is not yet available for sale in the European Union. Additionally, the LG Smart Deadbolt Lock and certain thermostats are limited to the US and Canada.

Pre-orders for the HomeView are currently open in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and India. Customers in Singapore can begin pre-ordering on October 15, while those in South Africa must use authorised resellers.