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Apple’s HomeView has a Google problem

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Apple’s HomeView has a Google problem

As someone who’s kept a smart display on the kitchen counter for the last eight years, I should be among the target audience for Apple HomeView.

My Lenovo Smart Display is one of the best gadgets I’ve ever owned, mainly because it’s always cycling through family photos that I’d otherwise surely forget. In addition to being a constant source of fond memories for me and my family, it is also occasionally useful for kitchen timers, music, weather forecasts, and managing the grocery list.

HomeView, which launches next month for $299, brings an Apple-like layer of polish to the smart display concept, with a high-resolution display, aluminum base, and built-in subwoofer. Its facial recognition capabilities also allow it to display each person’s messages and calendar events.

But for all those bells and whistles, HomeView appears to fall short on the one feature I care about most: Its photo features are designed around iCloud Photos, making it a tough sell for me and the other 1.5 billion people who use Google Photos. Without a steady supply of fresh photos, HomeView might wind up feeling a bit empty.

Those who’ve seen the HomeView up close liken it to a giant Apple Watch, with a 7-inch square-shaped screen that provides information at a glance. The main “Faces” view cycles through things like the time, weather, and photos, and you can swipe up to a home screen for built-in apps and smart home controls.

At least at the outset, the emphasis is clearly on Apple apps and services such as FaceTime, Apple Music, Podcasts, and Safari.


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