Our verdict: if your home runs on iPhones, Apple HomeView is the home hub to get, but wait for reviews before November 13. For everyone else, the Echo Show 8 is the better buy today: it costs less, has a built-in smart home radio, and Alexa+ is free with Prime. Skip the Nest Hub unless it's deeply discounted.
Apple's home hub is finally real. On October 13, Apple announced HomeView, a $299 smart display with a 7-inch square screen and the new Siri, and opened preorders. It lands in a market Amazon has owned for years, while Google hasn't released a new smart display since 2021.
Apple HomeView
Amazon Echo Show 8
Google Nest Hub
The three hubs at a glance
Apple HomeView- 7-inch square screen, A18 chip
- Recognizes up to six faces, each with their own home screen
- Siri AI, Matter and up to nine camera feeds
The catch: Siri AI is in beta, English only.
- Alexa+ free with Prime
- Built-in Zigbee, Matter and Thread hub
- 13MP camera, front stereo speakers
The catch: Alexa+ is $19.99/mo without Prime.
Nest Hub (2nd gen)- Gemini for Home, free basic tier
- No camera, good for bedrooms
- Smallest and cheapest
The catch: five years old; Gemini Live costs $10/mo.
Price and specs in one picture
Apple HomeView: the iPhone household's hub
HomeView comes as a tabletop model, with the screen on a hinge above a domed speaker, or a flat wall-mounted version. Both cost $299, and wall mounts from Schneider Home start at $59.95. The tabletop has two drivers in the screen plus a down-firing woofer and Spatial Audio.
The clever part is personal. HomeView recognizes up to six people by face and shows each their own home screen, and your Messages and Calendar only appear when you're recognized and your iPhone is nearby. Apple says camera and microphone data is processed in isolated "Secure Exclaves."
Echo Show 8: the safe buy today
Amazon's current Echo Show 8 and 11 arrived in November 2025 with the AZ3 Pro chip, a 13MP camera and a built-in Zigbee, Matter and Thread hub, so they can run sensors and bulbs without a separate bridge. Press reports put the Show 8 at $199.99 and the Show 11 at $249.99 after Amazon raised prices across its range in August.
Alexa+ has been available to every US customer since February. It's free with Prime ($14.99 a month) and $19.99 a month without it, which makes the Echo Show the best value if you already pay for Prime.
Nest Hub: still waiting for Google
The newest Google smart display is still the second-generation Nest Hub from 2021. It now runs Gemini for Home, with a free basic assistant, but Gemini Live needs Google Home Premium at $10 or $20 a month. A "Google Home Display" name showed up in Google's app code in May, with no specs or date.
If you're on Android and want a small screen for a bedroom, the camera-free Nest Hub is fine on sale. Otherwise, wait to see what Google ships.
Feature by feature
| Feature | Apple HomeView | Echo Show 8 | Nest Hub (2nd gen) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $299 | $199.99 | $99.99 at launch |
| Screen | 7-inch square | 8-inch | 7-inch |
| Assistant | Siri AI (beta) | Alexa+ | Gemini for Home |
| Premium AI cost | Fee coming later | Free with Prime, else $19.99/mo | $10 or $20/mo for Gemini Live |
| Camera | ✓ Center Stage | ✓ 13MP | ✗ |
| Matter | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Built-in Zigbee radio | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Face recognition per person | ✓ Up to 6 | – | – |
| Available | Nov 13, 2026 | Now | Now |
Echo Show 8 price from press reports after Amazon's August 2026 price change; Amazon didn't publish a list. – means not covered in what we checked.
Which home hub should you buy?
The verdict
Apple HomeView is the most personal smart display yet, and the obvious pick for an all-iPhone home once reviews confirm Siri AI works. Until then, the Echo Show 8 is the best home hub you can buy today, and the Nest Hub is only worth it on a deep discount. We'll update this page when HomeView ships on November 13.
FAQ
How much is Apple HomeView?
Apple HomeView costs $299 in the US for both the tabletop and wall-mounted models. Wall mounts made by Schneider Home are extra: $59.95 for USB-C power, $79.95 for AC wiring and $129.95 for a PoE mount coming in early 2027.
When does Apple HomeView come out?
Apple announced HomeView on October 13, 2026, and preorders opened the same day in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India. It goes on sale November 13, 2026. It isn't coming to the EU yet because Siri AI isn't available there.
Does Apple HomeView need an iPhone?
Yes. Apple says you need a compatible iPhone or iPad on the latest software to set it up, and Siri's personal features need a paired iPhone or iPad with Apple Intelligence. Without one, Siri still handles general questions and music.
Is the Echo Show better than the Nest Hub?
For most people, yes. The Echo Show 8 has a newer chip, a 13MP camera, a built-in Zigbee, Matter and Thread hub, and Alexa+ is free with Prime. Google hasn't released a new smart display since the 2021 Nest Hub.
Does Apple HomeView work with Matter?
Yes. HomeView works with Apple Home and Matter accessories and acts as a home hub, like a HomePod or Apple TV. It can show up to nine camera feeds at once, though recognizing people, pets and packages needs iCloud+.