Does Apple HomeView Does Apple HomeView Have Thread And Matter Support? Thread And Matter Support?

Those who have been waiting patiently for Apple to release a smart home hub with a display don't have to wait any longer. Announced October 13, the Apple HomeView is official at long last, and it's got some specs to help make it worth the wait. Alongside an aluminum design, you'll find a 7-inch Liquid Retina display, A18 processor, and 12MP Center Stage camera. Some may be wondering if the device also includes Matter and Thread networking support. Fortunately, the HomeView has both.

For those that may be worried about device fragmentation between their smart home products, Matter support on HomeView will make sure compatible devices will play nicely with Apple's latest offerings. If your accessories support Matter, they'll work with the HomeView. Ultimately, this is thanks to HomeView supporting Thread networks, which essentially help keep Matter-enabled devices connected. HomeView has some additional goodies aside from solid compatibility, as well.

Thanks to a collaboration with LG, Apple-diehards can keep a variety of smart home gadgets within the Apple ecosystem thanks to the Apple Home Collection. But the Matter and Thread offerings also mean that users have more options regarding what smart gadgets they can use in their home. We explain what Matter is in more detail, should you need it, but for those worried about the HomeView only working with certain smart home products, your options are less limited than you may realize.

With support for Thread, the Apple HomeView supports accessories that work with either Apple HomeKit or Matter. HomeKit support is an obvious win, since it's Apple's own smart home system, so there's already a good chance that fans of both Apple and smart accessories may already own these accessories. However, Matter support ensures that certain products outside of the Apple ecosystem can take advantage of HomeView as well. Users will need to ensure they're looking for Matter-enabled accessories when shopping for smart home products, however.

Matter and Thread support can help future-proof your home (as can these smart home devices we consider worth buying), but there are still some other factors to consider with smart home accessories — especially concerning how the accessories themselves receive updates. However, be aware that 100% compatibility for accessories may require an iCloud+ subscription; such is the case for advanced features on compatible cameras. However, users can view HomeKit Secure Video footage on their iPhone, Mac, iPad, or Apple TV, alongside HomeView.

Along with support for Thread and Matter, the new HomeView also includes access to the new Apple Intelligence-backed Siri, which will work regardless of whether or not a user's iPhone or iPad has the option. Users will also have a wall-mounted HomeView option, but the model with a base also includes an additional bass extension for listening to music. Additionally, there's also FaceTime and Center Stage support, so users can make video calls while keeping themselves centered on a screen while on a call even if they're moving. Both models are now available for preorder from Apple.