On Friday 13 November, Apple puts two home devices on sale: the HomeView smart display and the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K. Both were unveiled on 13 October and have been available to pre-order since. The US price is the same for both, $299. The bigger surprise is elsewhere: HomeView will not be sold in the European Union, though it does launch in the UK.
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What is HomeView?
HomeView is Apple’s first smart display, a home control hub built around Siri AI. According to MacRumors, it has a square 7-inch Liquid Retina screen with a resolution of 1088 by 1088 pixels, 220 ppi and up to 500 nits of brightness. Inside are an A18 chip, a 12MP camera with Center Stage, four microphones and two wide-range speakers. Wireless support covers Wi-Fi 6E, Thread and Bluetooth 6.
The device recognises up to six family members by face and shows each of them their own calendar, reminders and recommendations. The Next Web adds that camera data is kept in an isolated part of the A18 chip. You need an iPhone or iPad running iOS 27.2 or iPadOS 27.2, and at launch Siri AI only understands English.
Two versions and paid wall mounts
HomeView comes in two versions. The tabletop model sits on a domed speaker and comes in four colours: silver, starlight, pink and space grey. The wall version is thinner, just 9.8 mm, and comes in silver and grey. Both cost $299, but wall mounts are sold separately: a USB-C module for $59.95, a wired mains version for $79.95 and a PoE-powered version for $129.95, which will not arrive until early 2027.
Why HomeView is not coming to the EU
Apple’s press release says plainly that HomeView is not sold in the EU because Siri AI is currently unavailable in iOS within the European Union. According to The Next Web, the dispute is over the Digital Markets Act: Apple believes the European Commission’s interpretation would force it to give rival assistants the same deep access to messages, files and purchases that Siri has. The company says it is “working constructively with the EU” but gives no timeline.
9to5Mac points out an odd detail: Siri AI does work in Europe on macOS and visionOS, because those platforms were not given “gatekeeper” status. HomeView, however, depends on the iPhone, and without Siri AI it makes little sense.
Where HomeView launches on 13 November
Sales are planned in the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and Singapore. In South Africa the device can be ordered through Apple partners. EU countries are not on the list.
Apple TV 4K: A19 chip and a $50 price rise
The new set-top box goes on sale the same day. According to MacRumors, it is a single 128GB model at $299, which is $50 more than the previous generation. It uses the A19 chip, which Apple says is up to 50% faster on the CPU and up to twice as fast on graphics as the A15 in the old version. It adds Wi-Fi 7 on the N1 chip, Thread, Bluetooth 6, HDMI 2.1 and gigabit Ethernet. An HDMI cable is not included.
The box gets Siri AI and can build surround sound from four HomePod mini 2 speakers or second-generation HomePods. The new Siri Remote with Find My support is also sold separately for $59. HomePod mini 2 itself came out on 30 October at $149.
What it means for UK buyers
If you are in the UK, you can buy HomeView officially from launch day, but note that the prices above are US prices, and a wall mount is an extra purchase if you want the display on a wall. Siri AI also only works in English for now, and the display needs a recent iPhone or iPad to be useful at all.
Apple TV 4K is a simpler proposition: it is an ordinary streaming box, most useful if you already have an iPhone, a HomePod and Apple subscriptions. But the price has gone up, and the usual streaming apps run perfectly well on Google TV sticks that cost a fraction of the price.
For most people, a smart home starts not with a $299 display but with cheap smart plugs, a camera and a TV stick. Below are popular options that buyers rate well.
Cheaper alternatives to HomeView and Apple TV
TNCE Tuya smart plug with energy monitoring
The simplest first step into smart home gear. This 16 or 20 A plug comes in a Wi-Fi or Zigbee 3.0 version, shows energy use, runs on a timer and supports voice control. Through the Tuya or Smart Life app it is handy for putting a heater, fairy lights or a power bank charger on a schedule. Check the plug type before ordering, as the listing is for a European-standard socket and a UK three-pin adapter may be needed.
Price on 9 November: £4.45
Sold: 15 900+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.0%
View on AliExpress
Xiaomi TV Stick 4K (2nd generation)
If the goal is to refresh your TV rather than join the Apple ecosystem, the Xiaomi stick does the essentials: Google TV, HDR support, Bluetooth 5.2, 2GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. This is the global version. It plugs straight into HDMI and is almost invisible behind the TV.
Price on 9 November: £79.99
Sold: 520+ pcs, positive reviews: 96.7%
View on AliExpress
MOES Tuya 4MP pan-tilt camera
One of HomeView’s jobs is the camera and keeping an eye on the home. The MOES camera from the brand’s official store can pan and tilt, records in 4MP, sees in the dark with infrared and reacts to sound. It works in the same Tuya app as the plug above, so everything is controlled from one place.
Price on 9 November: £30.25
Sold: 2 100+ pcs, positive reviews: 96.2%
View on AliExpress
Divoom MiniToo alarm clock speaker
For those who mainly want an alarm clock and sound from a bedside HomeView. The Divoom MiniToo looks like a miniature retro computer, plays music over Bluetooth, wakes you at a set time and can play white noise for sleep. It is not a smart display, but as a desk accessory or a gift it stands out.
Price on 9 November: £40.79
Sold: 300+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.4%
View on AliExpress
In short
HomeView and Apple TV 4K go on sale on 13 November at $299 each in the US. HomeView will not launch in the EU, and Siri AI only works in English for now. If you want a smart home today, it is cheaper and more practical to build one from plugs, a camera and a TV stick on Tuya and Google TV.
