Source: Marques Brownlee
MKBHD Apple HomeView Review: What You Need to Know
THE TL;DW
- MKBHD’s Apple HomeView Review covers Apple’s first dedicated smart home display, a $299 device with a 7-inch touchscreen and a speaker base, launching November 13.
- He praises the facial-recognition account switching that lets up to six people see personalized messages, calendars, and widgets, calling it “actually pretty clever.”
- His biggest knock is value: no third-party apps, no voice-based user recognition, no battery, and an ecosystem he says is still “dwarfed” by Amazon and Google’s smart home lineups.
The Jupiter Take
Apple just entered a smart display category Amazon and Google have dominated for nearly a decade, so early reactions from a creator with MKBHD’s reach carry real weight for buyer sentiment. His skepticism lands right as pre-orders open, potentially shaping how early adopters weigh the $299 price tag.
Context
Apple officially unveiled HomeView on October 13 alongside a refreshed Apple TV 4K and HomePod Mini 2, positioning it as the centerpiece of a broader smart home push built around an AI-enhanced Siri. The device had been rumored and delayed for years, originally targeted for spring 2025 before Apple pushed it back repeatedly while it finished Siri’s AI overhaul, according to 9to5Mac’s launch coverage. The pitch is less about raw specs and more about knowing who’s standing in front of the screen, using facial recognition to unlock personalized messages, calendars, and content for each family member.
