214: Was Apple's HomeView Worth the Wait?

About this episode

Apple this week finally announced the HomePod mini 2, a new Apple TV 4K, and its "HomeView" smart home hub. On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through our reactions to the announcements. 00:00 Intro 01:51 HomeView First Impressions 11:53 HomeView Apps and Ecosystem 21:22 HomeView Pricing and Wall Mounting 24:55 Apple TV and HomePod Price Hikes 30:21 Apple Home Collection 39:11 HomeView vs. iPhone Duo 43:05 Siri AI and HomePod mini 2 48:22 Apple TV 4K Upgrade Debate 52:06 Apple’s Smart Home Roadmap 54:05 OLED MacBook Ultra Rumors Apple's HomeView costs $299 and combines a 7-inch square display with Siri AI, FaceTime, music playback, and smart home controls. It has had something of a mixed reception from YouTubers and the wider Apple community, with some of the criticism centering on what it adds for someone who already owns an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or HomePod. A screen for timers, photos, music, and home controls will be useful for many, but it is harder to explain why someone wearing an Apple Watch would reach across a kitchen counter to set a timer, or why they would type a message on HomeView instead of taking out their iPhone. Apple's promotional video