Apple HomeView Reportedly Has No App Store, and Developers Are Locked Out Before Launch Even Starts

Apple's new HomeView smart home hub will reportedly have no App Store, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The touch-enabled device is due to be unveiled at Apple's 'Welcome home' event in New York on Tuesday 13 October. Gurman says it will not reach shoppers until 'around mid-November'.

Gurman's newsletter of 11 October laid out what Apple is expected to show. Alongside HomeView, he points to a HomePod mini 2 and a new Apple TV 4K. The HomeView name appears to match a trademark filing that MacRumors found.

What Apple HomeView Is Said To Include

Gurman reports that the hub runs on an A18 chip, which carries 8GB of RAM in iPhones. It is said to support Siri AI for voice control.

Two versions are reportedly planned. One is a tabletop unit with a metal speaker base. The other is a wall-mounted model with a flat, square wall plate.

The tabletop version is expected to offer 'better sound quality' than the HomePod mini. It reportedly comes in Gray, Silver, Starlight and Rose. The wall-mounted version is said to be limited to Gray and Silver.

The App Store Gap

HomeView will reportedly carry a selection of Apple's own apps, but no App Store for third‑party software. For a device built around a screen, that would be a notable omission.

Gurman's report, as relayed here, does not say why. It does not say whether the omission is permanent, either. Developers, on this account, would have no store on the device through which to reach customers when it goes on sale.

So who gets to build for it? That question is still open.

Partner Gear Around Apple's Hub

Apple is also expected to promote an 'Apple Home Collection' of accessories developed with brands such as LG and Schneider Electric. Gurman lists a smart doorbell, a deadbolt lock and a thermostat. The range also includes a temperature sensor, indoor and outdoor security cameras, and a floodlight camera.

Timing looks uneven. LG's accessories will not ship 'until later this year at the earliest', according to Gurman. No ship dates for the other partners' products are given in the material available to IBTimes UK.

The Apple HomePod Mini and Apple TV 4K

The other two products appear to be further along. Gurman says the new HomePod mini will use the S10 chip from the Apple Watch Series 10, up from the S5 in the current model. Colour options are reportedly green, pink, blue, white and midnight.

The new Apple TV 4K is said to run on an A19 chip, which has 8GB of RAM. It may have built‑in microphones for Siri AI. It may also come with an updated Siri Remote that has a built‑in speaker, which would make the remote easier to find.

Both devices are expected to be unveiled on 13 October and go on sale on Friday 30 October. That is roughly two weeks before HomeView, if the mid‑November timing holds.

Apple has not publicly confirmed any of these details, and no official statement was available to IBTimes UK at the time of writing. Tuesday in New York will show how much of the leak survives.