> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://darylbaxter.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # QuickTake: Why Apple HomeView’s limited apps and silence on accessibility are bizarre - URL: https://darylbaxter.com/posts/apple-homeview-apps-accessibility/ - Published: 2026-10-13T17:17:06.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-13T17:21:15.000Z - Description: Two big missteps before its November launch - Author: Daryl Baxter - Tags: Quicktake [Apple HomeView](https://www.apple.com/uk/apple-homeview/?ref=darylbaxter.com) pre-orders launch today (13 October) at $299 / £299 for a November release, except in EU countries for now, as Siri AI is unavailable. At first glance, it looks like a mix of an iMac G4, an iPhone 6s, and an Apple Watch. HomeView is meant to be the main hub for the family home, as it can detect up to six users with its camera - something that the iPad should have had long ago. You can look at your calendar, control your home appliances if they're Apple Home-compatible, check the weather, and plenty more with Apple's own apps. But what I can't understand is the very limited use of third-party apps on HomeView, as well as the lack of any mention of accessibility features. --- ## HomeView and Away ![](https://darylbaxter.com/content/images/2026/10/homeview-away.jpeg) If someone asked me what Apple needed to do to fix its smart home efforts, I'd say to start with a complete redesign of the Home app and [restore iPads as home hubs](https://www.macworld.com/article/784037/ipad-apple-tv-homepod-smart-home-hub-ios-16.html?ref=darylbaxter.com). I wouldn't say a new product that's a big Apple Watch with almost no third-party apps. Some compatible third-party audio and video apps can work with HomeView, though some of them require a paired iPhone nearby. It feels like a confused and weak compromise from Apple. As I finish off this month's [App Picks](https://darylbaxter.com/posts/app-picks-september-2026/#/portal/signup/free), I'm struck by how innovative Apple can be by annoying developers in insanely great ways. Here are ten apps that I could see as a perfect fit for HomeView, whether that's as glanceable widgets or iPad-like versions: - [*Ambre*](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/ambre-recipe-book-organiser/id1102236212?ref=darylbaxter.com) - [*Daylish*](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/daylish-visual-schedule/id6751201325?ref=darylbaxter.com) - [*GameTrack*](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/gametrack/id1136800740?ref=darylbaxter.com) - [*HomeBatteries*](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/homebatteries-for-homekit/id6450958030?ref=darylbaxter.com) - [*OmniFocus 4*](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/omnifocus-4/id1542143627?ref=darylbaxter.com) - [*Paku*](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/paku-air-quality-aqi-map/id1534130193?ref=darylbaxter.com) - [*PCalc*](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/pcalc/id284666222?ref=darylbaxter.com) - [*Peak*](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/peak-health-fitness-widgets/id6443923491?ref=darylbaxter.com) - [*SmartGym*](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/smartgym-gym-home-workouts/id922744883?ref=darylbaxter.com) - [*What's My Set*](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/whats-my-set-workout-timers/id6761863467?ref=darylbaxter.com) Instead, for however long Apple decides, HomeView is largely limited to Apple's own apps. I find it bizarre that in 2026, a new product from the company that launched the App Store over 18 years ago has barely let third-party developers take advantage of HomeView. And then there's accessibility - of which there is no mention on HomeView's [page](https://www.apple.com/uk/apple-homeview/?ref=darylbaxter.com) or in its [press release](https://www.apple.com/uk/newsroom/2026/10/meet-apple-homeview-a-new-way-to-enjoy-entertainment-and-manage-the-home/?ref=darylbaxter.com). I can see plenty of advantages in the device for users with visual, hearing, and physical needs - such as Eye Tracking, Sound Recognition, and Voice Control. HomeView may support these features, but Apple hasn't confirmed it, and I find that very disappointing. We need to look beyond the advertising and the press releases to see who it's really going to benefit. So far, I'm not sure about HomeView, as there are already two big missteps before it's available on 13 November. ## Springboard: The stories behind the games, apps, and more. I'm Daryl. I write about games and technology - the people who make them and why preservation matters. Send me Springboard Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam, no slop, no AI. Leave whenever you like.