On October 13, Apple announced a set of smart home products without a traditional event. The centrepiece is HomeView, a new home hub priced at $299. It has a 7-inch display and an A18 chip with Siri AI support, and shows apps, widgets and personalised content for up to six people. Temperature and humidity sensors are built in, and third-party apps can run from a nearby iPhone or iPad. Pre-orders are open and it launches November 13, though not in the European Union.
The fourth-generation Apple TV 4K also costs $299 for the 128GB model. It moves to an A19 chip, which Apple says brings up to 50 percent faster CPU performance, and adds far-field microphones for hands-free Siri, Wi-Fi 7 and an updated $59 Siri Remote. It can output surround sound across four HomePods. It launches November 13, and older Apple TV 4K models are set to gain Siri AI and Apple Intelligence support.
HomePod mini 2 costs $149, uses an S10 chip, adds new colors and a lighting feature called Sound Glow, and supports four-speaker surround sound. It launches October 30. MacRumors' coverage is not fully consistent on Siri AI for this model, with one headline saying it will not get it right away, so check Apple's feature page.
Apple also launched an Apple Home Collection of cameras, a lock, thermostats and other accessories, and ADT will offer in-home installation of HomeView.
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