Apple's HomeView smart display may be able to double as a home security camera, according to settings text found inside its early software, MacRumors reports. The evidence comes from code sleuth pdfu, who shared strings from HomeView Software 27.2 on X. Apple has not announced any camera security feature for the device, and strings alone do not guarantee it will be available when the hub ships.
Four camera modes
According to the report, the settings text describes four options for the built-in camera: Off, Detect Activity, Stream, and "Stream & Allow Recording." Separate scheduling controls appear to let owners choose different behavior depending on whether people are home, away or asleep.
The strings also refer to a HomeView-specific configuration of 1080p video at 30 frames per second with microphone input, which would be used for HomeKit Secure Video sessions.
Privacy safeguards
Several of the strings point to guardrails. Only members of the home would be able to view streams and recordings. A green light and a sound would signal when a stream is being watched or a recording starts, and owners would receive a notification whenever camera settings are changed.
MacRumors says streaming and recording could be switched on only from the HomeView itself, and only while people are at home. Face recognition and activity zones, by contrast, are expected to be configured in the Home app on iPhone.
One string in the Home app also suggests the hub might take photos to refresh the camera preview when a home member has the Home app open, again accompanied by the green light.
What to expect
HomeView goes on sale Friday, November 13, starting at 99, according to Apple. Apple's own materials for the device have focused on entertainment, communication and home control, and the company has not said anything about using it as a security camera. Until Apple comments or the feature shows up in a release, the findings should be treated as an unconfirmed look at unfinished software.
The discovery follows a run of HomeView software details that have surfaced ahead of launch, including a developer tour of the interface and the news that units will ship with older software and update during setup.
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