The Short Version
Apple HomeView went on sale on November 13, 2026 at $299 and is the most private of the three, but it leans on a paired iPhone or iPad and its assistant, Siri AI, is in beta. Amazon's Echo Show line is cheaper, has more sizes, and its assistant, Alexa+, can complete tasks such as ordering food. Google has the assistant, Gemini for Home, but no new display: the Nest Hub models have been out of stock on Google's own store.
Side by Side
| Apple HomeView | Amazon Echo Show 8 and 11 | Google Nest Hub | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $299 | $179.99 and $219.99 | Current price not found. Reported out of stock since late October 2026 |
| Screen | 7 inches | 8 and 11 inches | 7 inches (2nd generation) |
| Released | November 13, 2026 | November 12, 2025 | 2021 |
| Assistant | Siri AI, beta, English only | Alexa+ | Gemini for Home, early access |
| Assistant price | Included. Apple says expanded access will cost extra later | Free with Prime, otherwise $19.99 a month in the US | Basic assistant free. Gemini Live needs Google Home Premium at $10 a month |
| Needs a phone | Yes, an iPhone or iPad for setup and personal answers | No | No |
| Where requests run | On the device or in Apple's Private Cloud Compute | In the cloud | In the cloud after a detected interaction |
| Smart home standards | Matter and Thread | Matter, Thread and Zigbee | Not confirmed |
| Sold in the EU | No | Yes | Yes |
Amazon also announced a 16-inch Echo Show at $499.99 on October 28, 2026.
Apple HomeView
HomeView has a 7-inch display, an A18 chip and a 12-megapixel camera, and comes as a tabletop or wall-mounted model at the same price. It recognises up to six people and shows personal content only when it recognises the enrolled user and their paired iPhone or iPad is nearby. Apple says camera and microphone data are processed in an isolated part of the system that neither apps nor Apple can access. Features that rely on server-side models have daily usage limits. It is not sold in the EU because Siri AI is not available there. More in our HomeView brief.
Early reviews praise the hardware and split on the assistant. Engadget scored it 8.4 out of 10, called Siri AI more natural and conversational, and said the device is heavily reliant on an iPhone or iPad. Roundups of other reviews report the same pattern: strong for lights, cameras and cooking, less reliable when asked to complete a task.
Amazon Echo Show
Amazon sells the widest range, from 8 to 16 inches. Alexa+ is free for Prime members and available in 13 countries. Amazon says it can make reservations, order groceries and food, control the home, and book services by browsing the web. One early HomeView review made the contrast concrete: Alexa+ ordered a pizza and booked a ride, where Siri AI offered to call the restaurant or open the app. Amazon says hundreds of millions of customers use the new Alexa experiences and that the Echo Show line is up 25% year over year.
The trade-off is privacy. Since March 2025 Echo devices no longer offer an option to keep voice processing on the device, according to press coverage, so requests go to Amazon's cloud.
Google Nest Hub
Google's position is unusual. Gemini for Home runs on the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max and on the $99.99 Google Home Speaker released in June 2026, which has no screen. It is in early access in 20 countries and 10 languages, and switching a home to it cannot be reversed. But Google has announced no new display, and Android Authority reported the two Nest Hub models out of stock on the Google Store as of October 30, 2026. If you already own one, Gemini for Home is the upgrade. If you are buying new, there is little to buy.
Google says Gemini for Home activity is saved for 18 months by default, adjustable to 3 or 36 months or off, and that using recordings to improve its services is a separate setting that is off by default.
Which Assistant Does More?
| Task | Siri AI on HomeView | Alexa+ | Gemini for Home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control lights, locks and cameras | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Answer from your own messages and calendar | Yes, with a paired Apple device | From documents, emails and photos you share with it | Not confirmed |
| Complete an order or booking | Hands off to an app or a call, per reviews | Yes, with named partners | Not confirmed |
| Free-flowing conversation | Yes | Yes | With a paid subscription |
How to Choose
- You live in Apple's ecosystem and care about privacy: HomeView, accepting that Siri AI is a beta.
- You want the assistant to do things, or you want a bigger or cheaper screen: an Echo Show.
- You already own a Nest Hub: try Gemini for Home before buying anything.
- You are in the EU: HomeView is not an option.
What It Means for Brands
A screen in the kitchen answers out loud and shows one result. Alexa+ already completes purchases with named partners, so being one of those partners decides who gets the order. Siri AI and Gemini for Home mostly hand off for now. None of the three companies has published how its home assistant picks which business or product to suggest.
Sources
Apple's HomeView announcement; Amazon's 2026 devices announcement and Alexa+ availability page; Google's Gemini for Home help page; Engadget's review. Read November 13, 2026. Amazon's own privacy page could not be read, so its privacy position comes from press coverage. Presenc AI has not tested these devices.