Apple fanatics, this news is for you. You already have everything Apple, including your MacBook, iPhone, iPad, AirPods, HomePod, and Apple TV. Still, now the tech giant wants to take over your home, literally, with its new lineup of smart home accessories, the Apple Home Collection, in partnership with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric.
That’s right, you no longer need to rely on Google or other companies to turn your digs into a smart home; Apple has officially entered that space.
The company Steve Jobs built dabbled in the home space with devices like the HomePod speaker, but it’s now expanding that lineup with the new Home Collection.
Apple’s revamped Home Collection now includes the HomeView hub, HomePod Mini 2, and Apple TV 4K.
So let’s break it all down.
The Apple HomeView
The HomeView features a seven-inch Liquid Retina Display with a built-in speaker mount and can sit on your kitchen counter, in your living room, or be wall-mounted.
The HomeView costs $299, serves as the hub for your Apple-powered smart home, and lets you access your other devices.
According to Apple, HomeView can recognize up to six household members via facial recognition, giving each person access to their own apps, notifications, and more. Like your iPhone, iPad, or MacBook, HomeView can also play music, your favorite podcasts, FaceTime calls, or videos to help you in the kitchen.
Through HomeView, users can also control lights, smart locks, and thermostats; check and edit calendars; interact with Siri AI; and locate lost items like keys or wallets, provided they have an Apple AirTag attached.
It officially goes on sale Nov.13.
The Apple Home Collection
In the home space, Apple has taken a backseat to Google, but that’s changing under newly minted CEO John Ternus, who recently took control after Tim Cook stepped down.
With the Home Collection, the tech giant is looking to dominate a new space, with help from LG Electronics and Schneider Electric.
The Apple Home Collection features an LG in-home camera that can monitor your home and, for privacy, you can tell it to face down.
An outdoor camera monitors the outside, like deliveries, and recognizes familiar faces.
An LG door camera and lock can unlock when it recognizes your iPhone as you get close, quickly granting you access to your home.
Apple says setting up these devices is as seamless as setting up a pair of AirPods, giving fans of the brand smart home products that they will love while boasting elite privacy protection features.
But that’s not all that was announced. Apple also unveiled the $149 HomePod mini 2, featuring Siri AI integration and new colors.
It’s not just for enjoying iTunes or whatever DSP you stream from; you can also add events to your calendar or ask it questions.
Apple TV 4K Introduces A Much Better Experience
Apple TV 4K completes the new smart home collection at $299 and features built-in far-field microphones that let you issue commands to the set-top box instead of holding down the remote’s microphone button.
Apple TV 4K is available for pre-order starting today and will be available on Nov.13.
