Apple has unveiled its HomeView smart home hub and is again pushing into the smart home market. TechCrunch reported on Oct. 13 that HomeView serves as a central hub for controlling smart devices in the home and supports FaceTime calls, music playback, video viewing and photo slideshows.

The price is $299. It uses a rectangular HomePod-style design with a display on the front. It is available in 2 versions: a model designed to sit on a kitchen counter and a wall-mounted model.

HomeView comes with Calendar, Messages, Photos, FaceTime, Notes, Reminders, Music and Podcasts as standard. Users do not need to use an iPhone to check schedules, send messages, play music or view photos. Apple in particular appears to be emphasising its usefulness in the kitchen. The company said users can pull up recipes while cooking, watch videos, check schedules and start FaceTime calls.

HomeView also serves as a smart home dashboard. Users can use Siri to view camera feeds, adjust thermostats, turn on lights and lock doors. Apple also unveiled smart home accessories on the day, including a smart deadbolt lock, security cameras and doorbells.

HomeView also offers a feature that changes the screen by recognising family members. Based on the new Siri AI assistant, HomeView distinguishes people in the home. When it identifies a user, it shows messages, contacts, schedules, notes and preferred apps tailored to that person. The screen also changes automatically when another family member approaches. Up to 6 people can be recognised.

With the launch of HomeView, Apple will compete with smart display products from Amazon and Google. Amazon offers the Echo Show and Google runs the Nest Hub. Apple has targeted the smart home market with HomePod, but has not secured mainstream appeal on a par with rivals.