Apple's new HomeView smart display cannot natively run a single third-party or first-party video streaming app at launch, according to the device's own specification page. Not even Apple TV runs on the hardware directly. Owners must AirPlay content from an iPhone to watch anything on the screen.

The gap extends beyond video. Apple Books audiobooks, Apple Music Classical, and Apple News Plus also lack native support, the spec page confirms. Users must route all four services through a phone connection. Apple's marketing materials avoid stating this requirement outright.

What does the spec page actually say?

HomeView's specification page lists the unsupported services explicitly. Apple TV, Apple Books audiobooks, Apple Music Classical, and Apple News Plus each require AirPlay from another device. The product's newsroom announcement, by contrast, calls HomeView "the perfect way" to enjoy Apple's audio and video entertainment apps.

The marketing copy highlights audiobooks and TV shows as entertainment options. It even suggests users can "keep an eye on the match while you do the washing up." None of this copy mentions the iPhone tether requirement, as the product imagery and captions themselves demonstrate.

How does HomeView compare with rival smart displays?

Competing hardware already handles video natively. Amazon's Echo Show devices stream Prime Video without a phone in the loop. Google's Nest Hub devices stream YouTube the same way. Both platforms treat the smart display as a standalone viewing device.

HomeView, by contrast, functions primarily as a smart home control hub. Video and audiobook playback arrive as a secondary, phone-dependent feature. That positions Apple's entry differently from the two dominant competitors in the category.

Why does the Apple TV omission stand out?

The absence of Apple TV is the most notable gap because it is Apple's own service. The company controls both the hardware and the streaming platform. Rival ecosystems stream their first-party video catalogs natively on their smart displays. Apple has shipped the reverse arrangement: a first-party display that cannot run a first-party video app without a second Apple device present.

Apple Music remains the flagship native entertainment feature. The company promotes multiroom audio across the home as a core HomeView capability, alongside the engineered acoustic system built into the unit.

What does this mean for buyers?

Anyone purchasing HomeView for kitchen or living-room video viewing needs an iPhone within reach. The display alone handles smart home management and Apple Music playback. It does not handle Apple TV, audiobooks, Apple Music Classical, or Apple News Plus on its own.

The requirement echoes Apple's broader pattern of keeping the iPhone central to its ecosystem. Whether Apple adds native app support through software updates remains unconfirmed. No timeline appears on the spec page or in the announcement materials. For now, buyers comparing Echo Show, Nest Hub, and HomeView on streaming capability will find Apple's device the only one of the three that depends on a companion phone.