One of the Best Reasons to Buy Apple’s New $299 HomeView Might Be the Extra Smart Home Gadget You No Longer Have to Buy

Apple’s new HomeView has built-in temperature and humidity sensors, allowing the $299 smart home display to monitor room conditions and share that information with compatible thermostats.

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The sensors are included in both the tabletop and wall-mounted versions, according to Apple’s technical specifications.

That means HomeView can help manage your home’s heating and cooling without requiring a separate room sensor wherever the device is installed.

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How HomeView’s temperature and humidity sensors work

HomeView can share its temperature and humidity readings with compatible thermostats from LG Electronics and Schneider Electric, two companies partnering with Apple on its new Apple Home Collection.

Here’s what the system supports:

• Room temperature monitoring: HomeView measures the temperature in the room where it’s placed.
• Humidity tracking: The built-in sensor monitors relative humidity.
• Multiroom climate control: Compatible thermostats can use readings from HomeView, HomePod, HomePod mini, and dedicated room sensors to monitor conditions throughout the house.
• Automatic adjustments: Adaptive Temperature in the Home app uses information processed on an iPhone to adjust thermostat settings based on whether household members are home, preparing for bed, or away.

For example, if you have a HomeView in your living room and a HomePod mini in your bedroom, a compatible thermostat can use readings from those devices rather than relying solely on the temperature measured at the thermostat itself.

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There are some limitations

Apple specifies operating conditions for the sensors, and placement can affect their accuracy.

The audio limitation is worth considering if you plan to use HomeView primarily as a speaker. Extended playback at high volume can affect temperature and humidity measurements.

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How much does the complete setup cost?

HomeView’s sensors are included in its $299 price, but using them for automated heating and cooling requires a compatible thermostat.

If you already plan to buy HomeView, its built-in sensors could save you from purchasing an additional $39.95 room sensor for that location.

Both HomeView models are available for preorder now and launch November 13.