TL;DR: Apple introduced the $299 HomeView smart display, a $149 HomePod Mini 2, a $299 Apple TV 4K and an Apple Home Collection built with LG and Schneider Electric at its October 13, 2026 Welcome Home showcase.

Welcome Home put Apple back in the living room

Apple invited press and creators to a Welcome Home showcase in New York City on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, to outline a broader push into the smart home, according to Engadget. The lineup centered on HomeView, described by Engadget as Apple's first smart home hub. The same program included refreshed Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini hardware alongside an ecosystem of smart home products, according to Engadget. The Verge reported that the announcements also included smart home and security accessories developed with third-party manufacturers. Preorders for HomeView, Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini 2 opened the same day, according to MacRumors coverage summarized in search results, with staggered ship dates through October and November.

HomeView is Apple's first smart display hub

HomeView is Apple's dedicated display for monitoring and controlling compatible smart home gadgets and security devices around a living space, according to The Verge. The Verge characterized the product as arguably the company's first major Apple Home launch since the introduction of HomeKit in 2014. The device gives Apple a counterpoint to Amazon Echo Show and Google Nest Hub hardware for their respective platforms, according to The Verge. Engadget reported that years of rumors had described an iPad-style Apple display for managing smart home devices, with HomePad discussed as a possible name before Apple selected HomeView.

The countertop HomeView pairs a tilting seven-inch square Liquid Retina touch display with a speaker base, while a second variant mounts to a wall, according to Engadget. The Verge described the rounded speaker base and overall shape as reminiscent of Apple's 2002 iMac G4. The countertop version comes in silver, starlight, rose pink and space gray, while the wall-mounted model is available in space gray and silver, according to Engadget. Both tabletop and wall-mountable versions cost $299, according to Engadget. Preorders opened October 13, with shipments scheduled for November 13, according to Engadget.

Display, audio and camera hardware

The HomeView screen measures seven square inches and uses Liquid Retina technology, according to Engadget. Maximum brightness reaches 500 nits and can drop to 0.3 nits, a low level intended for nightstand use beside a sleeping person, according to Engadget. The Verge reported that the display automatically adjusts light levels to suit surroundings and can dim to 0.3 nits without glaring at night. The screen supports smart home control widgets, clock faces, photos and related views, according to The Verge.

The display section contains two full-range drivers, paired in the countertop model with a down-firing woofer and two force-canceling passive radiators in the base, according to Engadget. Apple said audio in the wall-mounted version without a base is tuned for wall placement, according to Engadget. A 12-megapixel front-facing camera supports FaceTime calls, according to Engadget. The Verge also reported that the 12-megapixel camera supports FaceTime and enables recognition of up to six different users.

Personalization for up to six people

HomeView can recognize the face of the person interacting with it for up to six people and shift from a shared household screen to a customized interface for that individual, according to Engadget. That personal view can provide access to the user's own notifications and calendar by drawing on personal data from an iPhone or iPad, according to Engadget. The Verge reported that the device adapts from a shared household screen to a personalized hub when perception and recognition features are enabled.

Users can select Apple Watch-style faces with four adjustable widgets featuring weather details, favorite photos and Snoopy animations, according to Engadget. Entertainment functions include music, podcasts and video streaming, plus on-screen recipe guidance while cooking, according to Engadget. Apple said HomeView was designed to keep users' information secure and separate, adding that it does not track or sell data to others, according to Engadget.

Siri AI and iPhone requirements

The device is powered by Apple Intelligence and includes built-in Siri AI, according to Engadget. Users can start a conversation with the assistant on HomeView and continue it on another Apple device, according to Engadget. Music and recipes can be handed off from an iPhone to HomeView, according to Engadget. The Verge reported Apple Intelligence-powered Siri AI features such as personal context and text descriptions for video feeds, leveraged through an iPhone connection.

HomeView requires every user in a household to have an iPhone with the latest operating system, a condition that may affect mixed iOS and Android households or owners of older iPhones, according to The Verge. Engadget noted reports that Apple had held HomeView until delayed Siri AI work was ready. The device runs on the A18 chipset, the same processor used in iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16e and MacBook Neo, according to Engadget.

HomeView is initially available in English in the United States, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and the United Kingdom, according to Engadget. Apple said Canadian French support will be added later through an update, according to Engadget. The Verge reported that users can manage lighting, thermostat and other smart device controls through the hub and monitor a live view of up to nine security cameras.

HomePod Mini 2 brings new chip and calmer colors

Apple made the refreshed HomePod Mini 2 official after sparse details leaked in September, according to The Verge. The $149 speaker costs $50 more than the debut price of its six-year-old predecessor and remains less expensive than the larger second-generation HomePod introduced in 2023 at $299, according to The Verge. It retains the familiar ball shape while shifting from vivid finishes to more muted pink, blue, green, white and midnight options color-matched with current iMac models, according to The Verge.

The illuminated swirl on the top panel returns with a sound glow function that matches illumination to album cover art and other soundscape designs, according to The Verge. The speaker uses the S10 chip also found in Apple Watch Series 10, according to The Verge. Engadget reported that the same S10 appears in Apple Watch Series 10, Series 11 and SE 3. Connectivity includes WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 6, Thread and Matter support, according to The Verge. Support for Siri AI through a connected iPhone is planned for a later software update, according to Apple as reported by The Verge.

The speaker can serve as the default speaker for a Mac, according to The Verge. Multiple units can be linked for surround sound, either as four HomePod Mini 2 speakers or as two second-generation HomePods combined with two HomePod Mini 2 units, according to The Verge. The HomePod Mini 2 can automatically calibrate with the new Apple TV 4K to assess room positioning and relative placement, tuning audio for the space, according to The Verge. Preorders began October 13, with shipping starting October 30, according to The Verge.

Apple TV 4K adds hands-free mics and A19 power

The new Apple TV 4K represents the fourth generation of Apple TV hardware and follows a predecessor released in 2022, according to The Verge. It costs $299 and includes four far-field microphones in the set-top box, allowing Siri control without speaking into the remote or a connected HomePod, according to The Verge. The box itself does not speak responses aloud; answers appear as on-screen text, according to The Verge.

The refreshed box runs on the A19 chipset also used in iPhone 17 and iPhone 17e, according to Engadget. Because Siri AI can use personal context from an iPhone, a viewer can request a show mentioned in a text message and have the box start playback, according to Engadget. The assistant can offer suggestions to refine searches and display answers on screen, according to Engadget. The Verge similarly reported personal-context lookup for a series suggested by a friend over text and AI recommendations for Apple TV programming.

The box can pair with up to four HomePod mini 2 speakers for surround sound, with automatic calibration for the room, according to Engadget. Owners who misplace the updated Siri Remote can use a voice command to trigger an audio alert, and the remote includes Find My support with Precision Finding, according to Engadget. The Verge reported that Siri can locate the remote through Bluetooth Channel Sounding and make it play a sound.

Preorders opened October 13 and the device ships November 13, according to Engadget. The $299 price is $100 higher than the previous model even after an earlier price increase this year, according to Engadget. Apple said Siri AI is available in beta on the prior two Apple TV 4K models released in 2021 and 2022, according to Engadget. Siri AI on the set-top box is available in English in the United States, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and the United Kingdom, according to Engadget. The fourth-generation Siri Remote is also sold separately and works with Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K, according to Engadget. MacRumors noted that the new box also brings more internal storage and Wi-Fi 7.

Apple Home Collection adds cameras, thermostats and a lock

Apple introduced an Apple Home Collection of smart devices covering cameras, thermostats and door locks, according to Engadget's event coverage. The accessories were developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric and are designed for the Apple Home app, according to reporting on Apple's October 13 announcement. The devices use end-to-end encryption and work without separate accounts, according to that reporting.

Pricing starts at $39.95 for the LG Temperature Sensor and Schneider Room Sensor, according to the product announcement reporting. The LG Smart Thermostat and Schneider Home Smart Thermostat each cost $199.95, as does the LG Indoor Cam Plug-in, according to the same reporting. The LG Video Doorbell Wired costs $249.95, the LG Outdoor Cam Plug-in costs $299.95, the LG Smart Deadbolt Lock costs $349.95 and the LG Floodlight Cam costs $399.95, according to the same reporting. Availability begins in December 2026, with select accessories following in early 2027, according to the same reporting.

Dates, prices and compatibility at a glance

The Welcome Home announcements share common ordering timelines but different arrival dates. HomeView preorders opened October 13 ahead of November 13 availability, according to Engadget. Apple TV 4K preorders also opened October 13 ahead of November 13 shipment, according to Engadget. HomePod Mini 2 preorders opened October 13 ahead of October 30 shipping, according to The Verge.

Prices announced at the event were $299 for HomeView in either tabletop or wall-mountable form, $149 for HomePod Mini 2 and $299 for Apple TV 4K, according to Engadget and The Verge. Home Collection accessories range from $39.95 to $399.95, according to product announcement reporting. Language availability for HomeView and Apple TV Siri AI initially covers English in eight countries, with Canadian French for HomeView planned later, according to Engadget. HomeView's household personalization depends on each user having a current iPhone operating system, while Siri AI features on Apple TV 4K and HomePod Mini 2 also rely on a connected iPhone, according to The Verge and Engadget.

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