Apple unveils $299 Apple HomeView with Siri AI, skips EU at launch

Apple's announcement of Apple HomeView on the 13th extends its smart home lineup beyond its existing devices into a new display category, while also refreshing the rest of its home portfolio. Alongside HomeView, the company introduced the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K at 49,800 yen and the HomePod mini 2 at 24,800 yen, both slated for November 13, and a new smart home collection developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric that adds four models, including a smart doorbell.

The launch geography reveals a split that goes beyond simple scheduling. Apple HomeView will be available in the US, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, and the UK, but not the EU, a gap attributed to Siri AI being unavailable on iOS in that region. Apple says it is in constructive talks with the EU to find a path forward, suggesting the sales block may be temporary, though no timeline or conditions are given.

On privacy, Apple says HomeView and the A18 chip include Secure Exclaves, which isolates camera and microphone data so that HomeView software, apps, users, and Apple itself cannot access data processed within it. This approach places the device within Apple's existing privacy messaging, even as it adds always-on sensors and a camera to the home.