HomeView Skips the EU, Plus HomePod mini 2, Apple TV 4K, and LG Accessories
This week in smart home: Apple's first smart display, which won't come to the EU for now, HomePod mini 2 and Apple TV 4K with Thread, the Apple Home Collection from LG and Schneider Electric, and Controller 10 for your iPad
Apple unveiled its first smart display on October 13. HomeView won't come to the EU for now, but HomePod mini 2 and the new Apple TV 4K will. There's also the Apple Home Collection with accessories from LG and Schneider Electric, Controller 10 for your iPad, a Meross radiator thermostat with Thread, Matter on Shelly Wall Displays, and Thread devices on UniFi's network map. We close with a tip about the climate sensor in HomePod mini 2.
HomeView: Apple's First Smart Display Skips the EU
Apple unveiled its first smart display on October 13. HomeView has a 7-inch screen and comes in two versions: one that sits on a speaker base and one that mounts on the wall. It recognizes the faces of up to six people, shows up to nine camera feeds at once, and works as a home hub.
HomeView goes on sale in the US on November 13 for $299. Apple won't sell it in the EU because Siri AI isn't available there. Apple says it is working with the EU on a solution.
New From Us: Controller 10 Turns Your iPad Into a Wall Panel
Can't buy HomeView where you live, or don't want to wait for it? Controller 10 turns an iPad you already own into a control panel for your wall. The update is out on the App Store and free for all users.
- Search that finds scenes and workflows by what they contain
- "Open Dashboard" widget for your Home Screen
- Faster loading, especially with a Controller Hub
HomePod mini 2 and Apple TV 4K Are Coming to Europe
Unlike HomeView, the other two devices can also be preordered in Germany, though without Siri AI there either.
HomePod mini 2 gets the S10 chip, Wi-Fi 6E, Thread, and Ultra Wideband. Pink and green join blue, white, and midnight. The new Apple TV 4K has an A19 chip, Wi-Fi 7, Thread, and three microphones that let you talk to Siri without the remote. There is now only one model, with 128 GB and Ethernet.
The surround sound rumor from week 41 was right: the new Apple TV can use four speakers for surround sound, with a pair of HomePod mini 2 or HomePod (2nd generation) speakers in front and another in the back. You can locate the new Siri Remote with Precision Finding on a recent iPhone. It comes with the new Apple TV 4K and is also sold separately for older models.
Apple Home Collection: Accessories From LG and Schneider Electric
Apple has also confirmed the rumored accessories from LG. The Apple Home Collection includes a video doorbell, three cameras, a lock, two thermostats, and two sensors from LG and Schneider Electric. All of them use Thread. The lock supports Matter and unlocks via Ultra Wideband. The cameras record to HomeKit Secure Video, and you set up every device with your iPhone, no extra app needed.
Prices range from $39.95 to $399.95. The Apple Home Collection launches in December in the US and Canada. The UK gets a smaller selection, with a few devices following in early 2027. Germany isn't included.
Worth Watching: Apple's New Home Devices Up Close
Shane Whatley attended the event in New York and walks through HomeView, HomePod mini 2, the new Apple TV 4K, and the Apple Home Collection.
In Brief
Meross MTS155: A Radiator Thermostat With Thread
Just in time for heating season, the Meross MTS155 has launched in Germany. It joins Apple Home via Matter over Thread and doesn't need a Meross hub, just a Thread Border Router such as a HomePod mini. It has a display, open-window detection, and a child lock. It costs €64.99 / around $73, or €169.99 / around $190 for a three-pack.
Shelly Wall Displays Can Now Control Matter Devices
Firmware 2.8.0 turns the Shelly Wall Display X1i, X2i, XL, U1, S1, S2, and XT into Matter controllers. You can set up lights, plugs, or thermostats from other brands right on the display. The displays themselves can also join Apple Home via Matter. Thread devices still need a Thread Border Router.
UniFi Network 11 Maps Your Thread Devices
UniFi Network 11 lets you add Matter devices to Ubiquiti's network management software using their pairing codes. It then shows battery level, firmware version, and signal strength and displays Thread devices alongside everything else on its network map. You can't control them there, so Apple Home stays in charge. The feature is mainly useful for troubleshooting.
Tip of the Week: Run Your Bathroom Fan From the HomePod mini 2 Climate Sensor
Like the original, the HomePod mini 2 measures temperature and humidity. You will find the readings in the Home app under Climate and can use them as triggers there: when the humidity in your bathroom rises above 65 percent, the fan turns on. A second automation switches it off once the reading drops below 55 percent.
You can only set this up in the Home app, because Apple doesn't make the HomePod's sensors available to other apps through the HomeKit framework.
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