Apple unveils HomeView smart display for $299

Apple unveiled HomeView on Tuesday, a voice-driven smart display built around its revamped Siri AI assistant, as the iPhone maker makes a renewed push into homes.

The device pairs a square 7-inch touchscreen with a speaker base and will sell for $299 in the United States starting November 13.

HomeView is designed as a family command centre for connected features such as lights, locks, thermostats and cameras. It also handles FaceTime video calls, plays music and video, and works as a digital picture frame when idle.

The centrepiece is Siri AI, an overhauled version of Apple's assistant powered by Apple Intelligence. Apple is pitching it as a more conversational helper than the original Siri. The assistant is central to Apple's effort to catch up with rivals in generative artificial intelligence and is built on AI technology from Google Gemini.

The launch is one of the first under John Ternus, Apple's former hardware engineering chief, who took over as chief executive from Tim Cook on September 1. Apple has struggled for years to gain ground in the smart home, where its HomePod speakers have trailed Amazon's Alexa and Google devices.