Apple Home Collection, the LG and Schneider Electric accessories arriving from December, works best with an Apple home hub, and Apple announced three new ones on October 13: HomeView at $299, HomePod mini 2 at $149 and Apple TV 4K (4th generation) at $299. All three can act as the hub, but Apple’s own fine print shows they do not play the same roles.
Here is how they differ for doorbells, cameras, thermostats and voice, and which one fits which home.
The hub roles compared
Every row below comes from Apple’s press releases, product pages or spec pages.
Don’t miss the best of The Mac Observer
Set us as a preferred source and our Apple reporting ranks higher in your Google Search results and Discover feed — one tap, no account changes.
| Role | HomeView | HomePod mini 2 | Apple TV 4K (4th generation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. price | $299 | $149 | $299 |
| In stores | November 13 | October 30 | November 13 |
| Home hub for Home Collection | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Thread | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Plays LG Video Doorbell chime | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| Temperature and humidity sensor for thermostats | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| Who’s at the door | Recognizes familiar faces and notifies the household (supported iCloud+ plan) | Announces who is at the door using Face Recognition | Doorbell notifications on the TV, talk to the visitor, unlock the door |
| Live camera view | Home Camera face streams up to nine feeds | No display | Live footage in the Home app on the TV |
| Smoke and CO alarm sound alerts | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| Siri AI | Beta in HomeView software version 27.2 | Future software update, in English | Beta in tvOS 27.2 |
What every hub does
Apple’s Home Collection press release says LG’s cameras give “a private and intelligent way to monitor their homes when using a home hub like Apple HomeView, HomePod, HomePod mini, or Apple TV 4K.” The footnote adds that additional features “vary by accessory and require a compatible home hub such as Apple HomeView, HomePod, or Apple TV.”
Thread is covered on all three. HomeView, HomePod mini 2 and the new Apple TV 4K each list “Thread networking technology” on their spec pages, and Apple says every Home Collection device supports Thread, “helping it maintain connectivity even if a Wi-Fi connection drops.”
Where the doorbell chime plays
This is the clearest split. Apple says LG’s Video Doorbell, which starts at $249.95 (U.S.), has “a chime that plays through HomeView, HomePod, and HomePod mini.” When a visitor rings, “a chime sounds through HomeView, HomePod, or HomePod mini, and a notification appears on the user’s Apple devices, like iPhone or iPad.”
Apple TV 4K is not on that list. It handles the doorbell visually instead: “With a compatible doorbell, notifications appear directly on the TV so users can see who’s at the door, speak with them, and control other accessories like unlocking the door.” If Apple TV 4K is your only Apple home device, you get the on-screen alert but no chime from it.
HomePod mini 2 adds a spoken layer. Apple says it works with Home Collection video doorbells and cameras, “using Face Recognition to announce who is at the door.” The footnote says this “Requires HomeKit Secure Video with Face Recognition turned on.”
Thermostats need a sensor in the room
The LG Smart Thermostat and Schneider Home Smart Thermostat can read temperature and humidity in multiple rooms. Apple says they can use the new standalone sensors from LG and Schneider Electric, “or the sensors already built into HomeView, HomePod, and HomePod mini.”
Apple TV 4K has no such sensor on its spec page. A HomeView or HomePod mini 2 in a bedroom or living room can therefore double as a room sensor for the thermostat, saving the cost of a separate one.
Cameras: HomeView is the dashboard
HomeView is the only one of the three with its own screen. Apple says its “Home Camera face can livestream up to nine video feeds at once, letting users keep an eye on doorstep deliveries and pets playing in the yard.” It has a 7-inch Liquid Retina display and also comes as HomeView (Wall Mounted), also $299.
Apple TV 4K shows camera footage on your TV through the Home app, and Apple says it supports “secure local processing of HomeKit Secure Video.” HomePod mini 2 has no display, so it covers audio roles only.
Which one to buy
- HomePod mini 2 ($149): the lowest-cost way to get a hub, the doorbell chime, Face Recognition announcements and a room sensor for a Home Collection thermostat. The catch is that Siri AI arrives later, via a future software update.
- HomeView ($299): the pick if you want to see and touch your home, with up to nine camera feeds, the chime and a built-in sensor in one device. It is not sold in the European Union.
- Apple TV 4K ($299): a hub that makes sense if you also want it for the TV. Pair it with a HomePod mini 2 or HomePod if you want the doorbell chime.
You can own more than one
Multiple hubs can share one home. Apple’s home hub support page says the active hub “appears at the top of the screen” under Home Settings, then Home Hubs & Bridges in the Home app, and you “can disable Automatic Selection to manually select a preferred home hub.”
If you already own a HomePod or HomePod mini, note that Apple’s chime and sensor wording names HomePod and HomePod mini, not only the new HomePod mini 2.
Home Collection accessories start arriving in December, with select accessories in early 2027.
