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Apple’s "Welcome Home" Event: Everything Announced

Apple’s "Welcome Home" event introduced the new Apple HomeView, HomePod mini 2, and Apple TV 4K. Get the full breakdown of features, pricing, and the new Apple Home Collection.

Apple’s "Welcome Home" Event: Everything Announced
Image Courtesy of Apple, Inc.

Apple’s "Welcome Home" announcements just dropped, and as expected, the focus was entirely on the living room (or wherever else you want to put a HomeView). Of course, the biggest announcement was the HomeView smart display, but Apple also announced updated HomePod minis, Apple TV 4Ks, and a new collection of partnered smart home accessories.

The Star of the Show: Apple Homeview

Image Courtesy of Apple, Inc.

The biggest announcement of the day is the brand-new Apple HomeView.

  • What it is: A dedicated smart home hub featuring a 6-inch square display. It comes in two versions: a wall-mounted model and a tabletop version that sits on a half-dome speaker base. The tabletop version comes in a variety of colors, while the wall-mounted version only comes in black or silver. It is also worth noting that the actual wall mount is an additional cost, and your power options affect the price. The USB-C powered mount is $59.99, while the Wired AC Power mount costs $79.99 (Apple recommends professional installation through ADT). There will also be a Power over Ethernet (PoE) option coming later this year for $129, which requires PoE wiring.
  • What it does: HomeView acts as the central command for your HomeKit devices, complete with voice and facial recognition to show personalized widgets for whoever is in the room. The widgets are customized based on who is in front of the camera and can recognize up to six people. HomeView can also play music, make and receive FaceTime calls, stream video, control smart home accessories, and fully integrate with the new Siri AI. It even has a recipe view to make it easy to follow along with recipes from Safari while cooking.
  • Price & Availability: $299. Pre-orders start today, with availability beginning November 13.

HomePod Mini 2

Image Courtesy of Apple, Inc.

The HomePod mini also finally got a slight refresh today.

  • What it is: A refreshed version of Apple's smallest smart speaker, now available in a new palette of "chroma" colors.
  • What it does: It features a new N1 networking chip for better Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, along with a faster processor to handle Siri AI directly on the device.
  • Price & Availability: $149. Pre-orders start today, with availability beginning October 30.

Apple TV 4K Upgrade

Image Courtesy of Apple, Inc.

The Apple TV 4K also received a spec bump today.

  • What it is: A refreshed version of the streaming box with built-in microphones for hands-free Siri AI control.
  • What it does: It features a more powerful processor and the same N1 networking chip as the new HomePod, making it much faster and better equipped for Apple Intelligence and smart home control. It also has three far-field microphones built into the device itself so you can issue commands to Siri from anywhere in range. Last but certainly not least, the Apple TV Remote now includes Find My, so you can locate your remote the same way you would an AirTag.
  • Price & Availability: Pricing starts at $299, which is the highest price yet for an Apple TV. This is likely due to increased memory prices, making an already premium device even more expensive.

Introducing the Apple Home Collection

Image Courtesy of Apple, Inc.

Alongside the new hardware, Apple introduced the Apple Home Collection, a new lineup of smart home accessories designed in collaboration with select brands like LG and Schneider Home.

  • What it is: A curated ecosystem of smart cameras, thermostats, and door locks built specifically for Apple Home.
  • What it does: These accessories feature effortless one-tap setup, end-to-end encryption, and deep integration with your iPhone and the new Apple HomeView. They also leverage Apple Intelligence to summarize activities from HomeKit Secure Video cameras.

The Initial Line-up:

  • LG Indoor Cam Plug-in: $199.95
  • LG Video Doorbell Wired (Essence Silver): $249.95
  • Schneider Home Smart Thermostat: $199.95
  • LG Smart Thermostat: $199.95
  • LG Smart Deadbolt Lock (Essence Silver): $349.95
  • LG Outdoor Cam Plug-in (Essence Silver): $299.95
  • LG Floodlight Cam (Essence Silver): $399.95
  • Schneider Home Room Sensor: $39.95
  • LG Temperature Sensor: $39.95

These accessories are designed to work seamlessly with the new Apple HomeView and feature end-to-end encryption for maximum privacy. We will see how these measure up to the existing ecosystem of Apple Home accessories and if they justify their premium price.

All in all, this event delivered exactly what we expected, albeit at a premium price point. Apple is finally embracing the smart home community, and we’re here for it—but we will have to see how these devices measure up once they are out on the market.

What do you think of the new lineup? Are you planning to pick up the new Apple HomeView, or are you sticking with your current setup? Let me know in the comments!