Apple says HomeView is “the perfect way” to enjoy its audio and video entertainment apps, but some notable examples like Apple TV only work if you AirPlay it through your iPhone. As noted on the HomeView specs page, Apple TV, Apple Books audiobooks, Apple Music Classical, and Apple News Plus are not natively supported by the smart hub, so you’ll have to use your phone to operate them. HomeView is primarily designed as a hub for managing smart home devices, but competing smart display hardware, such as Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Nest Hub devices, can natively stream Prime Video and YouTube, respectively, without needing a phone connection. Apple TV also appears in at least one HomeView promotional image, but the AirPlay requirement is in fine print on its announcement page: “Subscription may be required to access some content and services. Some apps are not available in all areas. Some apps require a paired and compatible iPhone nearby.” We’ve reached out to Apple to learn more about why HomeView doesn’t natively support Apple TV, Apple Books audiobooks, Apple Music Classical, and Apple News Plus, and whether that may change in the future. One limitation: HomeView is powered by Apple’s A18 chip, the same processor that powers an iPhone 16. Its software works more like CarPlay than iOS, iPadOS, or even Apple TV, since, like CarPlay, it requires a connected iPhone for many functions. HomeView also doesn’t have an App Store (which is typical for smart home hubs), which makes the CarPlay connection even more important for third-party app developers, as apps that support streaming video or audio through the platform will easily work from day one.
