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Apple and Amazon have introduced new smart displays that could serve as shared household hubs for calendars, connected-home controls and other daily tasks. A Verge hands-on report says the $299 HomeView and $499.99 Echo Show 16 address longstanding shortcomings in hardware and usability, but full testing is still needed to determine how well they work in practice.
Apple’s $299 HomeView and Amazon’s $499.99 Echo Show 16 have arrived as redesigned smart displays aimed at household use, and a brief hands-on report by The Verge argues that the devices could make the category useful as a shared family computer. The products combine more capable hardware with features for calendars, smart-home controls and household routines, though their performance and everyday usefulness have not yet been established through full testing.
The Verge report describes both products as a shift away from smart displays that tried to combine a speaker and touchscreen but offered limited hardware and software. Apple’s HomeView uses an A18 chip and Liquid Retina display, while Amazon’s Echo Show 16 has a MediaTek processor and a Nanomatte display. The report says both companies have rebuilt their approaches to the category, with household information and controls as a clearer focus.
The devices take different approaches to shared use. The Echo Show 16 is designed as a household-centered screen that can be set up without a phone, according to the report. Its options include a calendar, smart-home dashboard and a meal-planning feature on the Family Management home screen. Amazon’s Omnisense technology can sense presence, temperature and room acoustics, while a Ring-camera demonstration showed a person approaching a home represented on a map.
HomeView, by contrast, is built around Apple’s iPhone ecosystem. The report says some apps are built in, while others rely on a connected iPhone. In an Apple demonstration, Siri used information from text messages to anticipate a friend’s arrival and switch on a coffee machine. The reviewer said some of HomeView’s more personal features appeared to depend on face recognition and having the user’s phone nearby. That account reflects a demonstration, not an independently verified description of performance in regular use.
The products target a practical gap in many homes: household schedules, shopping lists, meals, chores and smart-home controls are often spread across individual phones. A screen placed in a common area could give family members a shared point of access, rather than leaving one person to manage all the information on a personal device. The Verge report points to the popularity of products such as the Skylight Calendar as evidence of demand for a dedicated household display.
Price may limit how many households find the new devices worthwhile. The $299 HomeView costs substantially more than earlier entry-level smart displays cited in the report: the 2023 Echo Show 5 was $85 and the Nest Hub was $99. The Echo Show 16 is priced at $499.99. The report’s reviewer sees a stronger purpose for the newer products, but whether that justifies the higher cost depends on how well their shared features work and how much a household uses them.
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Why Smart Displays Were Reconsidered
Three years before this report, its author wrote that the smart-display category had stalled, with devices that were underpowered and did not perform their many intended jobs well. The author also described a need for hardware capable of running more useful software, a display designed for multiple users and an always-available interface that does not require repeated unlocking.
Tablets can provide a household screen, but the report identifies two drawbacks: limited multiuser support and the risk that a battery-powered device will be carried away from its shared place and left without power. The author’s experience with Google’s Pixel Tablet also raised concerns about its detachable screen and smart-home support. The report says Google reportedly canceled a successor 18 months later. The new Apple and Amazon devices instead emphasize screens intended to remain in the home and be ready for quick interactions.
“These could finally turn the smart display into what it should have been all along: the family computer.”
— The Verge reviewer
Everyday Performance Still Needs Testing
The report is based on brief hands-on time, so it does not establish how reliable either display will be over extended use. The reviewer says the apparent improvements need proper testing. Details such as how smoothly each device handles multiple household members, how consistently its voice and smart-home features work, and whether the displays remain convenient in day-to-day routines are not confirmed in the supplied material.
The degree of phone dependence is another point for buyers to weigh. Amazon’s screen is presented as usable without a phone, while Apple’s shared features appear more limited without a nearby, recognized iPhone. The source does not provide a full comparison of supported services, privacy settings, software availability or long-term costs. Nor does it report independent measurements of display performance or processing speed.
Full Reviews Will Test the Promise
The next meaningful step is full testing in ordinary homes. That can show whether the HomeView and Echo Show 16 make calendars, household planning and connected-home controls easier for everyone, rather than simply adding features to a screen. Buyers can also compare how each company’s approach fits their existing phones and smart-home equipment, and whether the price makes sense for their needs.
Until those assessments are available, the devices are best understood as promising redesigns rather than proven replacements for phones, tablets or dedicated household calendars. The Verge report supports a comparison of their stated designs and early demonstrations, but does not settle how well either product will perform after launch.
Key Questions
What is the HomeView?
The HomeView is Apple’s $299 smart display, equipped with an A18 chip and Liquid Retina display. The Verge report describes it as a screen for household information and smart-home tasks that also connects closely to the iPhone.
How much does the Echo Show 16 cost?
Amazon’s Echo Show 16 is priced at $499.99. The report describes a MediaTek processor, Nanomatte display, calendar and smart-home options, and a meal-planning feature.
How do the two devices differ?
The report characterizes Amazon’s model as a household-centered device that can be set up without a phone, while Apple’s is more closely tied to the iPhone and personal user recognition. The report does not provide a full technical comparison of their features.
Have the devices been fully tested?
No. The Verge account is based on brief hands-on time. Its author says full testing is needed to determine whether the devices’ features and shared-screen designs work reliably in everyday household use.
Source: theverge.com
