We’ve reached a point where most of us are surrounded by screens all day long. Whether we’re working during daylight hours or winding down in the evening, chances are we’re facing some kind of rectangular display. Many of us now live in digital bubbles, privately consuming online content and increasingly detaching from our real-life surroundings. Apple’s HomeView doesn’t contribute to the rampant isolation; it discourages it and breaks the longstanding cycle.
Apple’s HomeView ad was an exaggerated view of a family’s frenetic morning routine—but no one was using an iPhone.
Apple
If you’ve seen Apple’s frenetic ad, you noticed that the featured family was using the HomeView in tandem. The home hub harmoniously switched between different user profiles and executed all kinds of tasks in an open, social manner. They could all tell what each member was generally up to based on their voice commands, but private details like iMessages remained solely visible to the active user.
Unlike the Apple TV 4K, the HomeView isn’t designed for long usage sessions. While it supports video streaming, it’s the first Apple product to offer an awkward 7-inch square screen, making it impractical for media consumption and other immersive experiences. It’s meant to keep you present in the moment with other household members around you.
Early preview
The HomeView expectedly borrows app icons and other features from the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, but it doesn’t behave like any traditional Apple device.
The original iPhone did not offer an App Store and instead limited its users to the core apps included at launch. Likewise, it took the Apple Watch years to support untethered apps and provide a dedicated App Store on watchOS. That, however, does not mean that the HomeView will ultimately follow suit and introduce an App Store. After all, the smart home hub has reportedly been ready for around two years and was only held back due to Siri AI’s delayed release. Apple had plenty of time to port its digital storefront’s foundation to the new platform, but it made a conscious decision to maintain the virtual shackles.
Opening the floodgates would bridge the gap between the HomeView and iPad, which would defeat its whole purpose. Apple doesn’t want the HomeView to become your next TikTok doom-scroll destination. And barring third-party smart home management apps that encourage users to invest in its HomeKit ecosystem—reinforcing its walled garden further.
