HilliTech's Newsletter: HomeView's pitch
We've finally seen the HomeView and I'm fairly certain I want at least five. Plus, iPhone Duo sold out in seconds, but I managed to be one of the lucky few to get a release-day model.
Oh, here's that Beats Pill if you're curious:
Wesley Hilliard
Who is the HomeView for?
AppleInsider already published like four versions of this, so I'm writing my thoughts here instead. I've already reacted to the event and discussed it on the podcast, so there's no need to rehash that here in detail.
I've seen just a bout every reaction you would expect from a new Apple product. Some people have said the Apple HomeView is a worthless device and John Ternus should resign in shame, while others have said it is going to become ubiquitous in the smart home.
The truth, as always, is somewhere in the middle. I understand that I am very enthusiastic about technology, especially when it comes to Apple. But don't get it twisted, I'm capable of viewing things with some level of self control even when my excitement wants to give it the benefit of the doubt.
When I write, I acknowledge my own biases and preferences while ensuring I discuss the topic with a viewpoint from the wider population. With the Apple HomeView, it is easy to get lost in the sauce.
The 7-inch square display is fairly small, so I wonder how useful it will really be from any further than arm's length. I expect it'll be an excellent passive display for photos, clocks, weather, and now-playing album art.
Honestly, that's more than enough for me. I've been interested in devices well north of $200 with a single function, like showing photos, calendars, or music, but only have that single function. At $300 with full access to the Apple ecosystem, it's an excellent secondary piece of tech.
Yes, even without an App Store.
I don't expect the HomeView to sell like hotcakes. It should be relatively easy to get and perhaps even at a discount. At $300, I expect those already heavily invested in Apple Home will buy one immediately.
However, those that either have very few smart home products, if any, likely won't even glance at HomeView. Some expect HomeView could be a gateway device, but I'm not so sure. Apple Home Collection seems pitched as a way to accessorize HomeView, where I think HomeView is actually an accessory to smart home products.
Sure, if you've got an iPhone and want to stick to Apple Home then start investigating smart home products and setups, HomeView will be on your radar. I do not think it will trigger some unreleased potential that was simply untapped before.
That said, I do have some hope. Since HomeView is great for photos, FaceTime, and other tertiary functions, I could see it becoming an interesting niche product. The DIY crowd will no doubt jump on it as a fun display for their 3D printed cases and mounts.
Honestly, there are very few people I expect would be disappointed by HomeView except the most high-end power user. Those folks, want way more than Apple was ever going to offer with such a product. Sure, it isn't a full OS with an App Store, I'm not entirely sure that was what we should have expected.
I know some people are disappointed, but if I had my way, we wouldn't have App Stores for Apple TV, Apple Watch, or Messages. It's just bloat at this point needing separate interfaces to download the same app. It feels so much cleaner just having everything managed from the iPhone or iPad App Store and choosing which apps you've downloaded go to which device.
Developers will need to target Apple HomeView specifically with the CarPlay API, so I don't think this is as awkward as it initially seemed to be. There will be plenty of options for media and such at launch, and likely more app types later as Apple develops the API.
The Apple HomeView is targeted squarely at customers like me, and that's okay. It isn't as if Apple is going out of business. Nor do I feel like my ego depends on the popularity of a product that I purchased – I own Apple Vision Pro for goodness sake.
Apple's pitch was solid and I can imagine some social media types hyping up the product as a recipe tool or wall switchbot replacement. I'm certainly going to be looking for discounted ones to spread around the house.
Like with any Apple product, I think it might be a mistake to try and determine the addressable market for a success metric. It's going to sell, and eventually, sell the inventory out when Apple inevitably releases the next model. Even if Apple abandons the product, it'll survive another decade without needing much in the way of software updates. Like the original HomePod, it will persist and be generally useful, like it or not.
iPhone Duo preorders
We all knew that ordering the iPhone Duo would be a struggle, but I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. It sold out within two minutes.
I managed to get in and click confirm in under a minute, landing me with a release day delivery. Not everyone was so lucky.
As I type, you can get an iPhone Duo by the end of January if you order now.
Obviously it is a very complex device to manufacture and Apple's tolerances are much tighter than others, so very few products are available at launch given mass production started around July. That isn't to say demand isn't high either. Apple seems to have created just the right amount of scarcity, artificial or not, to drive people to spend thousands on eBay for early access.
I'm excited for iPhone Duo and can't imagine having to wait weeks more to try it out. I'm happy I get to be among the first to give it a shot. It's mine for the next year, so I'm committed at this point. Let's see how this goes.
Happy anniversary!
Hey look, a Friday newsletter for once. No, this shouldn't be the usual going forward, though anything is possible. It is my first wedding anniversary on Sunday and I didn't want to be writing a newsletter at any point on that day, so here I am.
Next week is a friend's wedding, so busy busy. Expect another short and not Sunday newsletter if there's time. I should have the iPhone Duo in hand when I write that one, so it should have some first impressions.
If you'd like to help me celebrate my first anniversary with Natalie, six years into our relationship, that Buy Me a Coffee link is the best way. Thanks as always for reading, and feel free to comment here or on Bluesky/Mastodon.
