Apple unveils $299 HomeView smart display, its first

Apple's home lineup has not matched the success of Amazon and Google, which had an early start and cheaper hardware, and Siri's weak performance also held Apple back. Revenue for Apple's Wearables, Home and Accessories segment fell by 4% in its 2025 fiscal year to about $35.7 billion. Revamping the home lineup is now a way to expand the upgraded Siri's reach and lock in Apple customers.

The new version of Siri relies on Google's Gemini AI technology and is designed to understand what is on a user's screen and act on it, help with writing, and search a user's phone for context. Analyst Anshel Sag of Moor Insights & Strategy said one of the most noticeable differences is that Siri used to hand off queries to ChatGPT but now gives the requested answer directly. Even so, he said the public seems largely unaware Apple has upgraded Siri.

Competition remains. Amazon and Google have also been improving their chatbots, and Mohit Agrawal of Counterpoint Research said most smart speakers and hubs in homes today are low-cost devices that cannot run AI at the edge, leaving them ripe for replacement. Apple is partnering with LG and Schneider Electric rather than buying its way in, as Amazon did with Ring and Google with Nest.