Apple gets smart in your home. From ‘HomeView’ to smart door locks, here’s what to know

After much anticipation, Apple have launched a new product that marks a decisive moment for the company as it pushes into the smart home. Called the “HomeView,” it resembles an iPad that lives in your house and has a 7-inch Retina display mounted on an oval base with speakers. The home hub, as it has been referred to colloquially online and in the media, is supposed to be switched on at all times and will be a way for users to connect with Siri. It can recognise up to six different household members and be used for playing music, making calls and web browsing. It costs $299 (€267) and pre-orders begin on Tuesday.“Apple HomeView is designed to be shared by everyone in the home yet feel completely personal to each user,” Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, said in a blog post.