Apple unveiled a $299 smart-home display Tuesday that uses facial recognition and artificial intelligence to identify family members — escalating its battle with Amazon and Google for control of the connected home.
The device, called HomeView, headlines a new lineup that includes an upgraded Apple TV 4K streaming box, a revamped HomePod mini speaker and a collection of security cameras, door locks and thermostats.
HomeView, available starting Nov. 13, features a 7-inch touchscreen and a built-in camera that can recognize up to six household members, automatically displaying their calendars, messages and other personalized information.
Avi Greengart, president and lead analyst at Techsponential, praised the new device’s appearance and integration with Apple’s other products.
“It’s gorgeous,” Greengart, who attended Tuesday’s unveiling, told The Post.
“It’s smaller than it looks in photos, and it ties very deeply into Apple’s ecosystem.”
The gadget relies on the consumer tech giant’s upgraded Siri AI assistant to answer questions, manage daily tasks and operate connected appliances.
Apple is offering tabletop and wall-mounted versions of the device.
The company says it has built-in privacy safeguards designed to keep household members from accessing one another’s personal information.
Users must have a compatible iPhone or iPad nearby that has recently been unlocked before sensitive data can appear.
But the device’s dependence on Apple’s ecosystem could limit its appeal, Greengart told The Post.
“If you’ve invested in Ring cameras, this probably isn’t for you. If you’ve invested in Android phones, this probably isn’t for you,” he said.
The display also allows homeowners to monitor security cameras, adjust thermostats, control lighting and communicate through FaceTime.
HomeView has a kitchen-friendly feature that breaks down cooking instructions and lets users set timers directly from recipes, Bloomberg reported.
The display will support Spotify and other outside media services through an interface based on Apple’s CarPlay technology, according to the outlet.
Meanwhile, the $149 HomePod mini 2, arriving Oct. 30, runs on Apple’s S10 chip and introduces Sound Glow, which illuminates the speaker’s touch-sensitive surface in colors that reflect album artwork or ambient sounds.
Apple also introduced a $299, 4K Apple TV featuring built-in microphones that allow users to issue hands-free Siri commands without reaching for the remote.
The streaming device, scheduled for release Nov. 13, includes a remote that can emit a sound when misplaced.
Its predecessor started at $199, according to Bloomberg.
Meanwhile, the $149 HomePod mini 2, arriving Oct. 30, features an upgraded processor and a lighting system called Sound Glow that changes colors to complement music.
The previous model cost $129.
Both products can be preordered Tuesday.
Apple is also teaming with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric on a lineup of connected-home accessories scheduled to begin shipping in December.
The collection includes a $199.95 indoor camera, a $249.95 video doorbell, a $299.95 outdoor camera and a $349.95 smart door lock, according to Bloomberg.
A floodlight camera will cost $399.95, while smart thermostats will start at $199.95.
The accessories can be configured through an iPhone without requiring separate accounts or additional applications.
Apple’s HomeView carries a substantial premium over rival products, including Amazon’s $179.99 Echo Show 8 and Google’s $99.99 Nest Hub.
Greengart said Apple’s target customers — consumers already invested in its products and accustomed to paying premium prices — may be willing to spend more.
“It’s not an impulse buy, but it isn’t outrageous,” he told The Post.
Greengart said Apple’s entry could have consequences beyond its own sales, potentially giving rivals room to charge more for their devices.
“I also think that this gives Amazon and Google license to move a little bit up market,” he told The Post.
He noted that Amazon has increasingly focused on selling hardware profitably rather than relying on steep discounts to attract customers.
The company is betting that deeper integration with its existing devices, personalized AI features and privacy protections will persuade customers to pay more.
HomeView preorders opened Tuesday, with the first units scheduled to reach customers next month.
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