Apple announced its first smart-home device with a display, HomeView, but has not announced when it will launch in Japan. Its key features include a 7-inch display, Siri AI and the ability to identify up to 6 faces.
Apple announced the new HomeView device, highlighting its 7-inch display, Center Stage camera and ability to recognize up to 6 faces. It combines the A18 chip, Apple Intelligence and Siri AI to switch displayed content for each family member. The device will be offered in 2 models, a tabletop model and a wall-mounted model, in 4 colors; the wall mount is sold separately. No official launch timing in Japan has been announced.
Fourth-generation Apple TV 4K, announced at the same time, is now available for pre-order in Japan and will go on sale on 13 November for ¥49,800 including tax. Its CPU has been upgraded to an A19-class processor, and the new specifications include Wi-Fi 7 support and 128GB of storage. HomeView is priced from $299 outside the US, while its price and launch timing in Japan remain undecided. As a result, the domestic rollout is expected to proceed cautiously.
HomePod mini 2 is available for pre-order in Japan, launches on 30 October and is priced at ¥24,800 including tax. The new model, the first in 6 years, expands the color lineup. New features include Sound Glow, which illuminates the top of the device to match the album artwork of the song playing, and the ability to create a surround-sound environment by combining multiple units. It can also reproduce much of the latest surround experience in Japan when paired with Apple TV 4K, without HomeView.