Buying Apple’s wall-mounted HomeView? The mount costs extra

The wall-mounted version of Apple's HomeView requires an additional purchase of a mount, increasing its effective cost by at least $60.

Apple's new HomeView smart home display, priced at $299, is available in two models: one with a speaker base and a wall-mounted version. However, the wall-mounted model requires a separate purchase of a mount and power solution, adding at least $59.95 to the total cost. Apple offers three purpose-built mounts from Schneider Home, with prices ranging from $59.95 for the Power Mount USB-C Wall Connector to $129.95 for the Power Mount PoE Wired, which will be available in early 2027. The necessary mount and power solution are not included with the base $299 price for the wall-mounted HomeView. Customers must select a mount during the purchase process on Apple's website or app; choosing "No mount" is not an option for operation. The wall-mounted version is only available in two colors, and the desktop model's speaker base cannot be repurposed for wall mounting. This means consumers opting for the wall-mounted HomeView will incur a higher overall expense compared to those choosing the speaker base model.

Apple's decision to sell necessary mounting hardware separately for its wall-mounted HomeView display signals a shift in how the company bundles hardware for its smart home products. This approach, where core functionality is enabled by add-on purchases, deviates from the more integrated product experiences often expected from Apple and could set a precedent for future device releases.

This pricing strategy, with the wall mount and power solution being mandatory but sold separately, could impact consumer perception of value and potentially curb adoption rates for the wall-mounted variant. It also opens the door for third-party accessory manufacturers to compete, potentially driving innovation in mounting solutions but also fragmenting the ecosystem and posing compatibility questions for consumers.