Apple Homeview Impressions: Not Convinced!

Summary
Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) presents a hands-on first-impressions review of Apple’s newly announced smart home lineup, focusing on the Apple HomeView smart display alongside the HomePod mini 2 and refreshed Apple TV 4K. He evaluates the HomeView’s hardware design, pricing, operating system, facial recognition features, audio quality, and overall market positioning.

What is shown

• [00:03 - 00:23] Demonstration and b-roll of the HomePod mini 2 (new colors and top display matching album art), new Apple TV 4K, and the HomeView countertop device.
• [00:44 - 01:26] Hands-on inspection of the HomeView’s 7-inch square display, metal base, articulating arm, top camera, and speaker setup.
• [02:05 - 02:24] Demonstrations of both the countertop stand version and the wall-mounted version mounted on a wall.
• [02:45 - 02:52] Apple press release text displaying accessory pricing for wall-mount adapters from Schneider Home.
• [03:28 - 03:47] Customizing HomeView clock faces with Apple Watch–style styles, modular complications, and color pickers.
• [03:48 - 03:59] Swiping up to navigate the app drawer and home screen widgets.
• [04:20 - 04:33] Demo of facial recognition triggering “Fast Account Switching” to show personalized calendar events and messages.
• [06:31 - 06:44] Close-up of the USB-C power connection at the back of the base (no built-in battery).
• [07:23 - 07:43] Testing the screen in various lighting conditions, highlighting the LCD display, black bezels, and True Tone adaptation.
• [08:13 - 08:30] Tapping an iPhone to the HomePod mini and HomeView to hand off audio and FaceTime calls.
• [09:36 - 09:47] Overview graphic of the “Apple Home Collection” accessories developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric (smart lock, indoor/outdoor cameras, thermostat, doorbell).

Claims & numbers

• The presenter says Apple introduced the HomePod mini 2 with new colors and an album-art-matching top display, a refreshed Apple TV 4K with far-field microphones and a speaker-equipped Find My remote, and the HomeView.
• The presenter notes competitor pricing: Google Nest Hub Max at $229 and Amazon Echo Hub at $179.
• The presenter states the Apple HomeView costs $299 for both the countertop stand model and the wall-mounted version.
• The presenter highlights that the wall-mounted version lacks the base woofer and requires a separate adapter purchase: USB-C wall connector ($59.95), AC wired power mount ($79.95), or Power over Ethernet (PoE) wired mount ($129.95).
• The presenter notes the wall-mounted model is only available in silver and space gray.
• The presenter states HomeView is powered by an Apple A18 chip and runs a dedicated OS (HomeView OS).
• The display is a 7-inch square LCD reaching up to 500 nits maximum brightness and down to 0.3 nits minimum brightness, with True Tone support and a 60 Hz refresh rate.
• The presenter states the device features a single 12 MP Center Stage front camera supporting Fast Account Switching for up to 6 profiles, but lacks full 3D Face ID/infrared sensors and lacks personalized voice recognition.
• The presenter notes there is no App Store or native third-party apps, though audio and services can be beamed from an iPhone using the CarPlay standard or AirPlay.

Notable quotes

• [00:39] “I actually don’t think this first offering is very convincing.”
• [03:07] “So why are they the same price? Why do they cost the same amount? I’m not sure I’ve figured that one out.”
• [11:11] “So yeah, my first impression is I think it’s a skip for most people.”

Assessment
This is an authentic tech review and hands-on impressions video by Marques Brownlee filmed following Apple’s product briefing. The footage contains real device interactions, UI demonstrations, and hands-on testing mixed with studio commentary and official press imagery.

Described by gemini-3.8-flash on 2026-10-15 from the video’s audio and frames.