HomeView will probably sell just fine, partly because it’s a comparatively affordable $299 and partly because it has the excitement and cachet of a brand-new Apple product. But that doesn’t mean it’s flawless. After all, HomeView is a first-gen device, and such devices nearly always suffer from problems that will be addressed in later versions.
In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg leaker Mark Gurman draws attention to what he thinks is an obvious shortcoming of the HomeView: its inability to turn its screen to face the user. “In one commercial,” he writes, “a family passes the unit around… Each person has to physically turn the screen toward themselves. It’s an awkward demonstration for a device that’s supposed to make interacting with technology in the home more seamless.” This unwitting demonstration of a failing with the product, Gurman argues, “practically screams for a display that can turn on its own.”
Fortunately Gurman has good news for anyone who is similarly disenchanted by the lack of an auto-swivelling screen on the first-gen HomeView. The next version of the product, he claims, will feature a motorised robotic arm which will enable the screen to turn through 360 degrees and (based on voice recognition software) automatically face whoever is talking to it. “Imagine a FaceTime call where the screen follows you as you move around the kitchen,” he explains, “or a family gathered around a countertop with the display automatically turning toward whoever is speaking.”
The new model, Gurman stresses, is not just a sequel: it’s an upgrade. Aside from the robotic arm it will also boast a larger screen, up from 7 inches to 9. It probably won’t just be called HomeView, with likely branding options including a Max or Ultra suffix.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about a robotic smart device. Last year, Apple published a paper describing research into the technology (with videos), and we’ve read rumors about such a device for years.
Gurman claims this version of HomeView is already in development and carries the codename J595. (The original HomeView is J490.) It’s planned for release in 2027 or 2028, he adds. That’s quite a large window, but the development cycle for the original device lasted so long, he says, that long-departed Apple employees popped up after its launch to boast of involvement in its creation. Hopefully we won’t have to wait quite so long this time around.
