OPINION: Apple’s vision for the HomeView smart home display isn’t what I wanted or expected it to be. I’m not a fan of the square display that looks like a big Apple Watch on a nightstand for one reason – it ignores the potential to be a video streaming device and that’s put me off buying one.
I envisioned the HomeView as an iPad attached to a HomePod – that meant an App Store and access to the key video streaming apps – but in a tvOS-style interface that also offered a shortcut to the Home app, FaceTime, Podcasts, Apple, Music, the Apple TV app and more.
I loved the idea of having the HomeView on my kitchen counter or mounted to my wall and using it to tune into YouTube recipe tutorials, or mounted behind on the wall in front of my desk as a media streaming device that’d allow me to have CNN or the football on in the background as I worked.
I guess I wanted more of a traditional smart display, as we’ve seen from Amazon’s Echo Show, but within the Apple ecosystem where I already operate and with those little pieces of Apple magic that are sprinkled elsewhere within the HomeView.
That’s not what we’re getting. It’s not to say that Apple has taken the wrong approach with its focus on a family hub with the personal and group context, a smart home dashboard showing the live view of cameras, limited audio apps and Siri AI support.
Apple does say there will be some access to video and audio from third party apps. However, with no App Store for third-party apps and this weird situation where only CarPlay apps carry across, it doesn’t appear likely we’re getting the likes of YouTube, Netflix and Disney+ on the HomeView.
It does appear as if we’re getting Apple TV built in, judging by the promo images, but even then the square display means we’re looking at letterbox central with the square 1:1 aspect ratio that does not properly support 16:9 video that’s the dominant format these days. Instead we’ll have massive black borders either side when watching shows like Ted Lasso.
Again, I’m not saying Apple was wrong to choose the square display, as it actually gives the product a unique look, but it does limit the range of functionality somewhat. I was fully prepared to buy this product out of the gate, as soon as it was available for pre-order. However, it’s a no from me now. I can’t really justify it. I wonder whether others my feel the same way. It’s a $300/£300 device. That’s not nothing. The narrower the functionality the less people will be inclined to part with such a sum.
A colleague pointed out to me that I could just dock or mount an iPad if I wanted this experience, but then I’d miss out on all that nice-to-have HomeView functionality – the Face ID with the ability to recognise multiple family members, the privacy-focused approach to showcasing personal data, the built for purpose interface for controlling the smart home easily, the super-low 0.3 nits of brightness for use in darker environments, and the form factor itself with the neat tiltable display attached to the speaker like an iMac G4.
It’s not necessarily criticism of Apple. In many ways, it’s commendable that the company is offering a slightly different take on the smart display following its belated entry into the market. However, I guess I’m just a little bit disappointed that it isn’t the device I’d invested hope in. I won’t be buying one.
