Apple launched several new smart home products on Tuesday, October 13, including a new iPad-like device called HomeView. The company hopes its AI-upgraded Siri virtual assistant will help it gain a bigger share of the competitive smart home market.
Alongside HomeView, Apple announced updates to its HomePod smart speaker and Apple TV devices. The company is expanding its smart home offerings as it tries to compete more effectively with Amazon and Google.
Apple HomeView price and competitors
Apple’s HomeView launch gives the company another chance to expand its smart home business. However, its success will depend on whether Siri can offer genuinely useful AI features, work reliably with connected devices and convince consumers to pay more than they would for competing products from Amazon and Google.
Mohit Agrawal, research director at Counterpoint, said many smart speakers and home hubs currently used by consumers are low-cost devices that cannot run AI directly on the device. He said these products could be ready for replacement, creating an opportunity for Apple, according to Reuters. Agrawal said Amazon and Google had only recently begun refreshing their hardware for Alexa+ and Gemini, respectively. He said the upgrade cycle was still open, giving Apple an opportunity to win customers looking for more advanced smart home devices.
Apple’s new HomeView device is priced at $299 and will begin shipping next month. HomeView comes with a 7-inch display and face recognition technology. Because many people already use its products, pescatore said Apple has an opportunity.
It is designed to help people control connected devices around their homes. Apple’s new device will compete with Amazon’s Echo range of smart speakers and Google Home devices. Amazon has also invested heavily in its Ring video doorbells. The competition is becoming stronger as companies upgrade their devices with newer AI features. However, he added that reliability, trust and ease of use will determine whether consumers adopt the new features. Apple upgraded Siri’s capabilities during the summer with assistance from Google.
It can help users manage smart home products such as video doorbells, thermostats and smart locks, according to Reuters. He warned that AI alone may not convince households to buy more devices, according to Reuters. However, analysts remain uncertain about whether Siri’s AI features are strong enough to convince consumers to choose Apple’s smart home products over competing devices, according to Reuters.
