Apple has confirmed that its new HomeView smart home hub will not be available in the European Union at launch. The reason: Siri AI is currently unavailable on iOS in the region, and the HomeView depends on it for core features.
The $299 device was unveiled today alongside Apple's broader smart home push. Apple says it is "working constructively with the EU in an attempt to find a path forward," but has not given a timeline for when the HomeView might arrive in Europe.
Apple HomeView Features and Siri AI
The HomeView is a square smart display with a personalized, iPhone-like interface powered by facial recognition. It supports up to six users, each with their own profile and data view.
During a hands-on demo, the device responded quickly to swipes and taps, loading camera feeds and controlling smart home gadgets from LG and Schneider Electric. Siri AI is central to the experience: it pulls context from your iPhone, so you can ask it to "play that song Jeff texted me about" and it understands.
- 7-inch Liquid Retina display in an aluminum frame
- Tabletop stand with extra speakers for bass; wall-mount version lacks the woofer
- Facial recognition for up to six users; quest mode locks out unrecognized faces
- Recipe mode in Safari extracts ingredients and directions with inline timers
- Works with LG cameras, door locks, thermostats, and Schneider Electric thermostats
