Apple unveils HomeView as AI fuels new challenge to Amazon and Google

It gives Apple a stronger presence in the smart home market, an area where it has historically struggled to match competitors like Amazon and Google. Apple has unveiled HomeView, a new AI-powered smart display that aims to strengthen the technology giant’s presence in the smart home market, where it has historically struggled to match competitors like Amazon and Google. Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Nest and Home devices currently dominate the smart speaker and smart display market. HomeView The device, announced on Tuesday, features a seven-inch touchscreen mounted on a speaker base and will go on sale in the United States on 13 November for $299 (About R4 900). Apple says HomeView is intended to function as a central control point for connected household devices. It can also handle FaceTime video calls, music and video playback, and serve as a digital photo frame when idle. Features The product relies mainly on hands-free voice commands and uses facial recognition to provide a personalised software experience for each household member. The HomeView has no physical buttons, but its 7-inch touchscreen features a grid of apps that will instantly feel familiar to iPhone and iPad users. At the heart of the device is Siri AI, Apple’s revamped voice assistant powered by Apple Intelligence. Apple says the upgraded assistant is more conversational than previous versions of Siri, although its performance against rival AI assistants remains to be seen. AI The launch comes as major technology companies race to integrate generative AI into both software and hardware products. Analysts see HomeView as part of Apple’s broader strategy to deepen customer ties to its ecosystem as AI-driven devices become an increasingly important battleground, according to AFP. Apple’s push into the smart home sector faces challenges. While the company has built a loyal customer base around products such as the iPhone, its HomePod speakers have lagged behind Amazon’s Alexa-powered devices and Google’s smart home offerings. HomeView is Apple’s latest effort to gain market share in a smart home sector currently dominated by Amazon and Google. The product is also among the first major launches under Apple’s new chief executive, John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook on 1 September after previously serving as the company’s hardware engineering chief. Partnership To expand its smart home capabilities, Apple has announced partnerships with South Korea’s LG and France’s Schneider for smart door locks and thermostat integration, broadening the range of connected devices that can work with HomeView. However, the product will not initially be available in the European Union. Apple said it is still working to ensure Siri AI complies with the bloc’s competition regulations before launching the device there. The company said it is engaging constructively with European authorities and remains hopeful it can bring HomeView to the EU market in the future. Success uncertain HomeView’s success remains uncertain in a crowded, highly competitive market. While the device could strengthen Apple’s ecosystem and offer existing customers another connected product, it enters a space already dominated by established rivals. Whether HomeView can attract significant market share remains unclear, particularly in a segment where Amazon and Google already have established user bases. Other products Alongside HomeView, the company also announced an upgraded Apple TV 4K set-top box-now with built-in microphones and an easier-to-find remote control. Apple’s HomePod mini 2 speaker. Picture: Supplied Apple also unveiled the HomePod mini 2 speaker, which comes in a new range of colours and features lighting animations that match the album art of the song playing.