Apple HomeView goes on sale November 13 at $299, and Apple’s HomeView tech specs page shows you get a smaller screen than Amazon’s $199.99 Echo Show 8. Google’s answer is still the Nest Hub (2nd gen), which the Google Store sells for $99.99, a third of Apple’s price.
So the real question is what the extra $100 or $200 buys you. We picked the Echo Show 8 because its 8.7-inch screen is the closest Echo to HomeView’s 7 inches. The larger Echo Show 11 costs $249.99. Google also lists the Nest Hub Max at $229, but its store page shows it out of stock. If you’re still choosing between the two HomeView models, our wall-mounted vs tabletop HomeView cost breakdown covers that. This piece compares the tabletop model with its rivals.
HomeView, Echo Show 8 and Nest Hub specs and prices from each maker
| Spec | Apple HomeView | Echo Show 8 (newest) | Nest Hub (2nd gen) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maker’s price | $299 | $199.99 | $99.99 |
| Amazon price (Nov 12) | $289.99 pre-order, Space Gray | $199.99 | Not checked |
| Screen | 7-inch, 1088 x 1088, 500 nits | 8.7-inch HD, 800 x 1340 | 7-inch touchscreen |
| Speakers | Two full-range drivers, down-firing woofer, two passive radiators | 2.8-inch woofer, two full-range drivers | One full-range speaker |
| Camera | 12MP Center Stage | 13MP auto-framing | None |
| Microphones | Four | Not listed | Three |
| Smart home radios | Thread, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 6.0 | Zigbee, Matter, Thread border router, Wi-Fi 6E | Thread, Matter, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Sensors | Temperature, humidity, ambient light | Temperature, ambient light, presence | Soli radar, temperature, Ambient EQ |
| Weight | 952 g | 1,049 g | Not listed |
| Phone needed | iPhone on iOS 27.2 or iPad on iPadOS 27.2 | iPhone or Android, via Alexa app | iPhone or Android, via Google Home app |
The Echo Show 8 gives you a bigger screen for $99 less, but HomeView’s is sharper
Amazon’s 8.7-inch panel is the biggest here. Apple’s 7-inch square display packs 1088 by 1088 pixels at 220 ppi, with True Tone and 500 nits of brightness. Amazon lists 800 by 1340 pixels on a larger panel, so you get more glass but fewer pixels per inch. Google lists only “7-inch touchscreen” on its spec page.
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Sound follows price. HomeView’s tabletop model uses two full-range drivers, a down-firing woofer and two force-cancelling passive radiators, with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos. The Echo Show 8 pairs a 2.8-inch woofer with two full-range drivers. The Nest Hub has a single full-range speaker, the lightest setup of the three if music is the main job.
Cameras and privacy split the three, and only Google ships without a camera
HomeView has a 12MP Center Stage camera for FaceTime. Apple says the A18 chip’s Secure Exclaves process the camera and microphone feeds in a compartment that neither the operating system nor Apple can access. It also shows your messages and other personal content only when it recognizes your face and your iPhone, opened recently, is nearby on the same Wi-Fi, as we covered in how HomeView handles personal content. It recognizes up to six people.
Amazon’s 13MP camera auto-frames calls and adds 3.3x zoom. You get a button that disables the microphones and camera, separate camera controls and the option to review and delete voice recordings. Amazon also uses the camera for Omnisense visual ID and presence detection, which can trigger routines. The Nest Hub has no camera at all. If you don’t want a lens in your bedroom or kitchen, that’s the simplest privacy answer, and it’s the cheapest.
Pick the display that matches the smart home and assistant you already pay for
HomeView only works if you live in Apple Home. It needs an iPhone on iOS 27.2 or an iPad on iPadOS 27.2, and its Thread radio works only with HomeKit or Matter accessories. Siri AI is in beta, Apple’s footnotes say some server features have daily limits, and Apple says expanded access will cost a fee later. The Echo Show 8 is the broadest hub here, with Zigbee, Matter and a Thread border router, and the Alexa app runs on iPhone and Android. Alexa+ is free with Prime or $19.99 a month without it. The Nest Hub supports Thread and Matter and runs Gemini for Home through the Google Home app.
Buy HomeView, the Echo Show 8 or the Nest Hub if this describes your home
Buy Apple HomeView if your household uses iPhones, your accessories are in the Home app and you want FaceTime and the most elaborate speaker system of the three. Amazon’s $289.99 pre-order price for Space Gray saves you $9.01 over Apple’s store.
Buy the Echo Show 8 if you have Zigbee gear, mix iPhones and Android phones at home, or already pay for Prime, which covers Alexa+. It’s $99.01 cheaper than HomeView and has the bigger screen.
Buy the Nest Hub if you want a $99.99 kitchen screen with no camera, use Google Home, or need a Thread and Matter controller on a budget.
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