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I was so excited to be invited to Apple’s new home launch, where I got to see the whole lineup in person, touch everything and actually test it out. Apple is going all in on the home this year, and as someone who lives for a beautiful, functional space, I had to share my honest thoughts on each product. Spoiler: two of them are already on my wishlist.
Apple HomeView (Tabletop): my #1 favorite
Price: $299
Colors: Silver, Starlight, Rose Pink and Space Gray, each with a matching cable
Pre-order: Now (since October 13)
Available: November 13
This was the star of the launch for me, and I’m obsessed with it in the Starlight finish, that soft, warm gold tone. It’s a 7-inch display that sits on a domed speaker base with a stainless steel hinge, so you can tilt it exactly where you want it. In person it feels like a design object, not a gadget, and it looks gorgeous on a console table or kitchen counter.
When I tested it, the screen looked crisp and the brightness adjusted on its own to the room. It recognizes up to six people by face, so everyone in the family gets their own personalized view. You can see up to nine security camera feeds at once, which is such a smart touch. The sound surprised me too: there are two drivers in the display plus a woofer and passive radiators in the base, with Spatial Audio and multiroom support. It runs on the A18 chip and has a USB-C port in the back.
HomePod mini 2 in Green: my other favorite
Price: $149
Colors: Pink, Green, Blue, White and Midnight
Pre-order: Now (since October 13)
Available: October 30
The green one stole my heart. It’s the perfect pop of color for a bookshelf or a styled shelf, and the top glows and pulses along with the music, which is so fun in person. For such a small speaker, the 360-degree sound fills a room, and you can pair two for stereo or connect several around the house.
It recognizes up to six people by voice, controls your smart home and can alert you when it hears a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm. You can also pair two with the new Apple TV 4K for surround sound, or use one as the speaker for your Mac. The new Siri AI features are coming in a future software update.
Apple HomeView (Wall Mounted)
Price: $299
Colors: Space Gray and Silver
Pre-order: Now
Available: November 13
Same 7-inch display and features as the tabletop version, but designed to live on the wall, with audio tuned for that placement. It’s a great pick for a hallway or entryway where you want a clean, built-in look. Mounts are sold separately: the USB-C wall connector starts at $59.95 and the AC wired mount at $79.95, with a PoE option coming in early 2027.
Apple TV 4K
Price: $299
Pre-order: Now
Available: November 13
The new Apple TV 4K runs on the A19 chip, so it feels fast, and it has built-in microphones so you can talk to Siri hands-free. My favorite detail is that it now supports surround sound with up to four HomePods, including the new mini. And the new Siri Remote can play a sound or be found with your iPhone, so no more digging through the couch. It is a big price jump from the previous models, so it’s worth it if you’ll use it as the center of your home theater.
Scenes from the launch
Final thoughts
Seeing everything in person made it clear that Apple designed this collection to blend into your home, not stand out like tech. If I had to pick, the HomeView in Starlight is the one I’d bring home first, with a green HomePod mini on the shelf next to it. Pre-orders are open now, so if one of these caught your eye, don’t wait.
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