Apple finally has a smart display. HomeView, announced October 13, is a 7-inch screen on a speaker base that runs Siri AI, recognizes people by their faces, and controls your Apple Home setup. It costs $299 and ships November 13.
The obvious comparison is Amazon’s Echo Show 8, the most direct rival in size and purpose. Amazon raised the Echo Show 8’s list price to $199.99 in August, so at full price the gap is $100. It does go on sale, though: The Verge reported a $149.99 deal earlier this year, which would make HomeView about double. Here’s how the two compare on paper. Neither has been reviewed side by side yet, and we haven’t used HomeView, so this is a spec comparison.
Price and availability
Apple HomeView
- $299 in the US for the tabletop model (silver, starlight, rose pink, space gray).
- $299 for the wall-mounted model (space gray, silver), plus a Schneider Home mount: $59.95 for the USB-C Wall Connector, $79.95 for AC Wired, or $129.95 for PoE Wired, which arrives in early 2027.
- Pre-orders open now. Available November 13 in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore and South Africa.
- Not sold in the EU. Apple says that’s because “Siri AI is currently unavailable in iOS in the EU.”
Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th gen, 2025)
- $199.99 list price, according to PCWorld, which reported that Amazon raised it from $179.99 in August 2026, citing memory and storage costs.
- Available now, in black and white per TechRadar.
Specs side by side
| Spec | Apple HomeView | Echo Show 8 (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen | 7-inch square LCD, 1088 x 1088, 500 nits max, 0.3 nits min | 8.7-inch HD, 1340 x 800 |
| Chip | Apple A18 (8GB RAM reported, not listed by Apple) | Amazon AZ3 Pro |
| Camera | 12MP Center Stage | 13MP with auto framing |
| Speakers | 2 full-range drivers, down-firing woofer, 2 passive radiators | 2.8-inch woofer, 2 full-range drivers |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 6.0, Thread | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth, Thread |
| Smart home | Apple Home, Matter, Thread | Alexa, Zigbee, Matter, Thread border router |
| Assistant | Siri AI (beta) | Alexa+ |
Apple’s specs come from its HomeView spec page and press release. The Echo Show 8 specs come from TechRadar’s review and The Verge’s hands-on.
About the RAM: Apple doesn’t list memory for HomeView. The 8GB figure was reported by MacRumors and Tom’s Guide before launch, based on the A18’s configuration in the iPhone 16. Treat it as reported, not confirmed.
Screen and design
The Echo Show 8 has the bigger screen, at 8.7 inches against 7. HomeView’s screen is square and higher resolution, and Apple says it dims to 0.3 nits for a nightstand. Apple also says the interface changes with your distance, showing simpler information from across the room and more detail as you get closer.
HomeView sits on a domed speaker base with a tilting hinge. The wall-mounted version is a different model, which matters if you want one in a hallway. Budget for the mount, since it’s sold separately.
Assistant: Siri AI vs Alexa+
This is the biggest difference.
HomeView runs Siri AI. Apple’s footnote says “Siri AI is available in beta in HomeView software version 27.2.” Anyone in the home can use its general knowledge, conversation and music discovery features. Personal requests, like pulling up your calendar or messages, need a paired Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad. Apple also says: “Certain Apple Intelligence features that rely on server-side models are subject to daily usage limits. Expanded access to such features will be available for a fee in the future.”
HomeView recognizes up to six people by face. Apple says personal content in apps like Messages and Calendar only shows when an enrolled user is recognized and their paired iPhone or iPad is nearby and recently unlocked.
Echo Show 8 runs Alexa+. The Verge notes it’s included with Prime, and non-Prime customers pay $19.99 a month.
So the ongoing cost depends on what you already pay for. Prime members get Alexa+ at no extra cost. HomeView’s Siri AI has no fee today, but Apple says expanded access will cost money later.
Smart home and cameras
Both work as smart home hubs with Matter and Thread. The Echo Show 8 also has Zigbee, which helps if you own older Zigbee devices.
HomeView is built around Apple Home. Apple says it can show up to nine camera feeds at once. With a supported iCloud+ plan and compatible cameras, it adds recognition of people, pets, packages and vehicles. It also works with Apple Home Collection, a new line of cameras, thermostats and a lock that Apple says arrives starting in December.
HomeView also listens for the sound of smoke or carbon monoxide alarms and sends alerts to your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch, according to Apple. The Echo Show 8 has a temperature sensor and presence detection, per The Verge.
On privacy, Apple says camera and microphone data on HomeView is processed in “Secure Exclaves,” separate from the rest of the system. TechRadar notes the Echo Show 8 has a microphone and camera off button but no physical camera shutter.
Requirements
HomeView needs an iPhone running iOS 27.2 or later, or an iPad running iPadOS 27.2 or later, to set up. If your household is on Android, it isn’t a realistic option. The Echo Show 8 works with the Alexa app on iOS and Android.
Which one fits your home
Pick HomeView if your household is all-in on iPhone and Apple Home, you want face-based profiles for several people, or you already have HomePods. It works in multiroom audio with HomePod and HomePod mini speakers. See our HomePod mini 2 guide if you’re building that out. It also suits anyone who wants Siri AI on a shared screen in the kitchen. For the living room TV side of Apple’s lineup, see whether the new Apple TV 4K is worth it.
Pick the Echo Show 8 if you want the bigger screen for less money, your home mixes iPhone and Android, you have Zigbee devices, or you already pay for Prime.
Our take
At list price, HomeView costs $100 more than the Echo Show 8. For Apple households, that $100 buys tight Apple Home integration, face-based profiles, and Siri AI, which is still in beta and has daily usage limits. That’s a reasonable trade if those features matter. If they don’t, or your home isn’t all Apple, the Echo Show 8 gives you more screen for less. Either way, we’d wait for HomeView reviews before ordering.
FAQ
How much is Apple HomeView, and when is it out? $299 for either model, available November 13, 2026. The wall-mounted version needs a separate mount, from $59.95.
How much is the Echo Show 8? $199.99 list in the US, after Amazon raised it from $179.99 in August 2026, per PCWorld. Sale prices vary.
Does HomeView work with Android? No. Setup requires an iPhone or iPad running iOS or iPadOS 27.2 or later.
Does HomeView have 8GB of RAM? It’s reported, not confirmed. Apple lists the A18 chip but doesn’t list memory.
Sources
- Apple Newsroom: Meet Apple HomeView (October 13, 2026)
- Apple: HomeView technical specifications
- MacRumors: Apple HomeView, everything we know
- MacRumors: New Apple TV 4K, HomeView and HomePod mini leaks (October 11, 2026)
- Tom’s Guide: Apple’s HomeView leaked ahead of launch
- 9to5Mac: Apple unveils HomeView smart display (October 13, 2026)
- TechRadar: Echo Show 8 (4th gen, 2025) review
- The Verge: Amazon’s new Echo Show 8 and 11 hands-on
- The Verge: Echo Show 8 lowest price deal
- PCWorld: Amazon hikes prices on Echo, Fire TV, Kindle and eero devices (August 26, 2026)
