Apple’s HomeView smart display could double as a security camera, according to text a Reddit user says is buried in its latest software. Apple has not announced such a feature and has said nothing to suggest one is coming, so treat this as a code find, not a confirmed plan.
pdfu, the Reddit user behind the find, says the 27.2 build includes setup text for a camera role, with options for motion detection, live viewing and saving recordings. One page reportedly says: “Your HomeView can be used as a security camera with HomeKit Secure Video.” The hub goes on sale on Friday, 13 November.
What the strings describe
Per the thread, only members of the household could see the feed. A light would switch on and a sound would play whenever the camera is being watched or starts recording, and everyone in the home would be told when the Secure Video settings are altered. What gets detected, streamed or recorded could change with whether people are in, out or asleep.
That would sit naturally with what Apple already sells. In its launch announcement, Apple says HomeView shows feeds from other cameras, can stream up to nine at once on its Home Camera face and, with an iCloud+ subscription, recognises people, pets, packages and vehicles from compatible cameras. Apple also says the camera and microphone data on HomeView is processed in protected areas of its A18 chip that the software, apps, the user and Apple cannot read. A camera mode would be the first time the hub itself was the camera, and the strings are the first hint of it.
The Verge reported that some people wondered why Apple did not let HomeView act as a security camera at launch. It suggests Apple may be holding the feature back to refine its privacy behaviour, which is a guess, not something Apple has said.
Apple announced HomeView on 13 October at $299 in the US, with a 7-inch Liquid Retina display and face recognition that unlocks each person’s Messages, Calendar and Reminders. It is not sold in the European Union, because Siri AI is not yet available in iOS there. The matching Apple Home Collection of cameras, a thermostat and a lock, made with LG and Schneider Electric, starts arriving in December, with some accessories following in early 2027.
The hub ships on older software
MacRumors, citing AppleDB, reports that HomeView will arrive with software version 26.5, about six months old, and prompt buyers to update to 27.2 during setup. The 27.2 build is where the camera strings turned up.
Code strings often describe features that are cancelled or delayed, so whether a camera mode reaches HomeView, and when, depends on Apple.
