Apple Reboots Its Smart-Home Strategy With New Hardware and a 'Home Collection'

I got an early glimpse of Apple's biggest push into the smart home in years. Apple has lagged in the smart home race, which Amazon and Google have dominated for a decade with Alexa and Google Assistant (now Gemini), respectively. But after finally revamping Siri AI this year and turning the butt-of-the-joke voice assistant into a more competitive companion --paired with a more mature Matter-supported ecosystem of smart home gadgets--Apple now has the brains to power the home system it has always envisioned. That starts with three new devices: the Apple HomeView, the company's first smart display; the HomePod Mini 2 smart speaker; and the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K. Apple announced the products at a media-only event in New York City, and it also revealed a slew of new smart-home gadgets made in collaboration with LG and Schneider Electric, including a video doorbell, thermostats, and security cameras .