Apple HomeView is the company’s first smart display, and it lands in a category Amazon has sold into for years. The closest rivals are the Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen) and the Amazon Echo Show 11, which both run Alexa+ and double as smart home hubs.
HomeView costs $299 and starts arriving on November 13. Pre-orders are open now on Apple’s site. Here is how the three displays compare on price, smart home support, privacy and sound.
Apple HomeView Costs More Than Both Echo Show Models
HomeView is priced at $299 for the countertop version and the Apple HomeView (Wall Mounted) model alike. The Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen) launched at $179.99 and the Amazon Echo Show 11 at $219.99. Both have been discounted several times since, so the gap on a given day can be $100 or more.
The wall-mounted model needs wired power, and the mounts are sold separately. The Power Mount USB-C Wall Connector starts at $59.95 and the Power Mount AC Wired starts at $79.95, both from Schneider Home.
| Feature | Apple HomeView | Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen) | Amazon Echo Show 11 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $299 | $179.99 at launch | $219.99 at launch |
| Display | 7-inch Liquid Retina | 8.7-inch HD, 1340 x 800 | 10.95-inch Full HD, 1920 x 1200 |
| Chip | A18 | AZ3 Pro | AZ3 Pro |
| Camera | 12MP with Center Stage | 13MP | 13MP |
| Assistant | Siri AI (beta) | Alexa+ | Alexa+ |
| Smart home support | Apple Home, HomeKit and Matter accessories | Built-in hub for Zigbee, Matter and Thread | Built-in hub for Zigbee, Matter and Thread |
| Availability | Ships November 13 | On sale now | On sale now |
Amazon’s Echo Show Models Are the Wider Smart Home Hubs
Both the Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen) and the Amazon Echo Show 11 include a built-in hub with Zigbee, Matter and Thread support. That lets them control a large range of accessories without a separate bridge. Amazon’s Omnisense platform also combines the camera, microphones, ultrasound and Wi-Fi radar to trigger routines based on presence, temperature or visual ID.
HomeView controls lights, thermostats, locks and cameras through the Home app and works with HomeKit and Matter accessories. It can stream up to nine camera feeds at once on the Home Camera face. HomeView can also listen for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and send an alert to an iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch.
Apple is also pushing its own Apple Home Collection of cameras, thermostats and a door lock, which is listed as coming later.
Apple HomeView Is Built Around Privacy and Multiple Users
HomeView recognizes up to six people by face and voice, and each person gets a personal Home Screen. Messages and Calendar only appear when that person’s paired iPhone or iPad is on the same Wi-Fi network and was recently unlocked. Guests can still set timers, check the weather, play music and control accessories.
The A18 chip processes camera and microphone data inside Secure Exclaves, a compartment the operating system and Apple cannot access. Siri AI runs on Apple Intelligence with Private Cloud Compute for server requests.
Siri AI is in beta and available in English to start. Some server-based features have daily usage limits. Apple plans to charge for expanded access in the future. Personal context requests need an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad.
Alexa+ is free with Amazon Prime and costs $19.99 per month for everyone else. It works without an Apple device, which makes the Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen) and Amazon Echo Show 11 easier to recommend for Android households.
The Amazon Echo Show 11 Has the Bigger Screen and HomeView Dims to 0.3 Nits
The Amazon Echo Show 11 has a 10.95-inch Full HD display. HomeView measures 6.98 inches diagonally. Brightness on HomeView ranges from 500 nits down to 0.3 nits, the lowest Apple has offered, which suits a bedside table. Amazon’s displays adjust brightness and color automatically through Omnisense.
On audio, HomeView uses two full-range drivers in the display, a down-firing woofer and two force-cancelling passive radiators in the base, with Spatial Audio and computational audio tuning. The Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen) and Echo Show 11 use front-firing stereo speakers with a custom woofer and support Spatial Audio too.
HomeView has no buttons, so everything runs through touch and voice. It also does not download apps. It shows a selection of Apple apps and compatible audio and video apps from your iPhone, and YouTube support is not confirmed. Amazon’s displays stream Prime Video and Netflix directly.
HomeView Suits Apple Households and the Echo Show Suits Everyone Else
The phone in your pocket decides most of this:
- Choose Apple HomeView if your household uses iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, and you want FaceTime, Handoff, Find My and per-person Home Screens.
- Choose the Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen) if you want the cheapest entry and a compact kitchen display.
- Choose the Amazon Echo Show 11 if you want the larger Full HD screen for a counter or living room shelf.
Check where HomeView is available at launch before you decide. The Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen) and Echo Show 11 are on sale today, while HomeView units start arriving on November 13.
