Apple is introducing HomeView, a new smart home hub designed to revolutionize how recipes and kitchen tasks are handled. With HomeView, web-based recipes in Safari are transformed into a simplified, step-by-step cooking experience, complete with hands-free timers and ingredients tracking to help users manage each stage without having to touch the screen.
Functionality Designed for the Kitchen
The key feature of HomeView is its “Start Cooking” mode, which streamlines recipes into a clean, easy-to-follow layout. It allows users to activate multiple digital timers that can be controlled entirely hands-free, so there’s no need to pause—whether you’re chopping, stirring, or baking. These timers also appear as Live Activities, meaning they stay visible even if you switch into another app.
HomeView supports a smooth device handoff experience: begin browsing a recipe on your iPhone and continue seamlessly in the kitchen on HomeView. It also handles transfers of media like songs, podcasts, calls, and videos, enabling uninterrupted flow from one device to another.
Hardware and Pricing
The hardware comes in two models—a wall-mounted unit and a tabletop version. The marquee tabletop model includes a 7-inch Liquid Retina screen mounted on a domed speaker base. Its hinge allows tilt adjustments, making it easier to view on a countertop in different positions. Both models let users listen to music or podcasts during cooking. HomeView also presents intercom functionality via its built-in audio system and integrations with other HomeView and HomePod speakers.
Pricing has been set at $299 in the U.S. for both the tabletop and wall-mounted versions. HomeView will become available starting November 13.
Background: Apple has increasingly leaned into combining smart home devices and AI-infused software to enhance household conveniences. With HomeView, the goal is to blend those advancements into everyday tasks—making one of the messiest rooms in the house smarter and more capable.
Why this matters: For cooks who juggle pans, timers, and recipe sites, HomeView offers a hands-free experience that could simplify workflows significantly. It’s not just about convenience—it’s about avoiding nuisances like greasy screens and missed steps. What to watch: how HomeView integrates with other smart home devices, whether it supports popular third-party recipe sources well, and how responsive its voice-triggered controls are in real cooking environments.
