Apple HomeView launches November 13: $299 in US, ₹34,990 in India — no Face ID, but facial recognition for six users and dual dashboards built in. It’s Apple’s first smart display, ending a five-year wait that began with Mark Gurman’s 2021 report that Apple planned to expand its smart home lineup with a display-equipped device. Rumors persisted for years, including speculation about a robotic-arm version modeled after the discontinued Echo Show 10. Before Ming-Chi Kuo’s 2023 prediction narrowed the field to a 7-inch screen. That screen is now real: a 7-inch display anchored by the A18 chip and powered by Apple Intelligence. Pre-orders are live, Amazon is offering a $9 discount on the US model at launch. In India, Flipkart and Apple India’s site list it at ₹34,990. No UK or EU pricing appears in reporting. It does not have Face ID, but uses its 12MP front camera for household facial recognition. Up to six people, switching between a shared dashboard (lights, thermostats, security cams) and a personalized one (calendar, reminders, Messages) when someone approaches. Siri AI acts contextually on-screen: point at a live camera feed and say “unlock the front door”, or ask it to add recipe ingredients to your shopping list mid-cook. You can send Safari recipes to it, and it strips them down to clean, large-text step-by-step views. It answers complex, multi-turn questions without re-waking. And pulls personal context from Mail, Calendar, Messages and Reminders when paired with your iPhone or iPad. Phone calls ring across devices. Answer them on HomeView. The device supports hands-free FaceTime with Center Stage auto-framing, lets you dictate iMessages and hear replies read aloud, and doubles as an in-home intercom, blast voice announcements like “dinner is ready” across every Apple device in the house. Its far-field microphones support multi-user voice matching, so Siri AI differentiates between family members and responds with tailored answers even when spoken from across the room. There’s no third-party app store. No Android or Matter-only accessories supported out of the box. It’s built for Apple’s ecosystem, top to bottom. Tom’s Guide notes the dual-dashboard system solves a core smart home pain point: juggling multiple apps on your phone. When no one is in front of the screen, it defaults to universal controls, ideal for guests who need to adjust lighting without knowing your smart bulb names. When a recognized user walks up, and their unlocked iPhone or iPad is nearby on the same network, the device unlocks access to private data securely. Availability starts Friday, November 13.