Apple's HomeView, a 7-inch square smart display priced at $299, is arriving this week as the company's first entry into the smart display category. Reviewers describe a compact device built around a rounded aluminum speaker base and a polished metal arm that lets the display tilt forward and backward. It comes in four colors, Starlight, Rose Pink, Silver and Space Gray, and is sold as a tabletop model or a wall-mounted version that requires a separate mount costing between $59.95 and $129.95.

One reviewer who lived with the device on a kitchen counter for ten days said the square display makes it look like a purpose-built gadget rather than an iPad on a stand. The display has a 1,088 by 1,088 resolution, a maximum brightness of 500 nits and can dim to 0.3 nits for bedroom use, with True Tone to match room lighting. Text and timers are readable from a few feet away, though viewing recipes requires more scrolling than the reviewer would like. Another reviewer noted that the screen uses an oleophobic coating and an ambient light sensor to adjust brightness and warmth.S1S3

Sound quality falls between the HomePod mini and the full-size second-generation HomePod, according to one review. The display houses two custom full-range drivers, while the base contains a down-firing woofer and two force-canceling passive radiators, which reviewers say is respectable for music and podcasts without being outstanding.S1S3

Unlike smart displays from Amazon and Google, HomeView relies on a companion iPhone or iPad to mirror apps using a technology similar to CarPlay. Its usefulness therefore depends on how heavily a household uses Apple's core apps such as Messages, Calendar, Photos and Reminders, and users must be willing to grant Siri access to personal data within them. Reviewers also note that a user needs some compatible smart home devices to get the most out of it and that Safari serves as the recipe browser.S3S2

Apple is arriving late to a category its main rivals have occupied for close to a decade, and the company is betting that its existing iPhone users will value the elevated design and expanded Siri capabilities. The device is set to go on sale on Friday, and reviewers suggest it will suit households already invested in the Apple ecosystem more than those seeking a standalone smart display.S2S3