Apple HomeView Leak: Security Camera Mode, AI Chatbots

Apple’s HomeView does not reach stores until Friday, November 13, but code discovered in the company’s own pre-release software suggests the $299 smart display may already have two major upgrades in the pipeline that Apple never announced: a security camera mode and support for third-party AI chatbots.

The findings come from leaker pdfu, who has spent weeks picking through Apple’s pre-release software, and were first reported by 9to5Mac on November 10. The evidence sits in HomeView Software 27.2 and in the iOS 27.3 beta. Neither feature is confirmed, and neither will be available at launch — but the groundwork, according to the reports, looks substantial.

Leak 1: HomeView Could Double as a Security Camera

The first discovery comes from HomeView Software 27.2, where pdfu found localization strings and configuration details describing security camera functionality. The software includes a setup flow that begins with the line “Your HomeView can be used as a…” followed by four camera modes:

• Off — the camera stays disabled.
• Detect Activity — the device watches for motion and activity.
• Stream — live video is available in the Home app.
• Stream and Allow Recording — video can be recorded as well as streamed.

The findings point to integration with HomeKit Secure Video, Apple’s existing platform for managing compatible security cameras and protecting recorded footage. A HomeView-specific AVConference configuration for 1080p/30fps video and microphone input, intended for use during HomeKit Secure Video sessions, was also found in the code.

Recording through HomeKit Secure Video would require a paid iCloud+ plan, and footage would be reviewable for the previous 10 days — the same terms that apply to existing HomeKit Secure Video cameras.

The idea is not as far-fetched as it might sound. HomeView already has a built-in camera, which it uses to recognize household members, among other things. Using that same camera for indoor security would be a natural extension, and the leaked code reportedly includes privacy protections and settings to warn users about camera usage — essential for a device that sits in a living room or kitchen.

Leak 2: Third-Party AI Chatbots Could Come to HomeView

The second discovery sits in the iOS 27.3 beta. Code there adds a “Conversational Apps” category to the list of app types HomeView supports, suggesting that third-party AI chatbots such as ChatGPT and Claude could eventually run on the display.

At launch, HomeView will support audio and video apps streamed from an iPhone. Adding conversational AI apps would give the device a second, very different kind of intelligence alongside Siri: a general-purpose chatbot that can answer open-ended questions, draft text, or help with tasks that fall outside Siri’s capabilities.

Pdfu’s own caveat matters here. The feature is “still not fully wired up,” according to the leaker — the category exists in the code, but the plumbing behind it is incomplete. This is a leak about a feature in progress, not an announcement.

What Is HomeView?

HomeView is Apple’s first smart home display: a 7-inch Liquid Retina touchscreen with a 1088-by-1088 resolution, mounted on a small stand, powered by Apple Intelligence with Siri AI, for entertainment and managing the home. It was announced in mid-October alongside the HomePod mini 2, and pre-orders have been open since then.

The device costs $299 and launches on November 13, 2026, alongside the new Apple TV 4K. It recognizes up to six people in a household and is available in tabletop and wall-mounted versions. It will not be sold in the European Union, because Siri AI is currently unavailable on iOS there due to regulatory constraints.

HomeView Software 27.2 has already revealed details Apple had not fully spelled out, such as wallpapers and faces. The latest discoveries follow the same pattern: early software releases made available ahead of launch, examined closely by researchers.

Why These Leaks Matter

If either feature ships, it would change what HomeView is. A security camera mode would turn a $299 display into a dual-purpose device: a smart home hub and an indoor camera, with no extra hardware to buy. That would be a genuine advantage over rival displays from Amazon and Google, neither of which doubles as a HomeKit Secure Video camera.

Support for third-party AI chatbots would be equally significant. Apple has kept its home devices tightly controlled, with Siri as the only voice assistant. Opening HomeView to ChatGPT or Claude — even as apps rather than as a replacement for Siri — would be a notable shift, and a recognition that many users now expect a general-purpose AI assistant in the home.

Together, the two features suggest Apple has a more ambitious roadmap for HomeView than its launch specifications reveal. The display may have been designed from the start as a platform that grows over time, rather than a fixed-function device.

The Caveats

None of this is confirmed. Apple has announced nothing about a security camera mode or third-party AI apps for HomeView, and code presence alone does not guarantee a feature ships. Both features could still be changed, delayed, or never released.

Nobody should buy a HomeView expecting these two features to arrive. The device launching on November 13 is a smart display with Siri AI, a 7-inch touchscreen, and the ability to control a home — and that is what the $299 buys. Anything else is, for now, a possibility written into pre-release code.

Still, the evidence is unusually concrete: setup flows, camera modes, video configurations, and a new app category, all found in software Apple itself distributed. If Apple does switch these features on, HomeView could become a considerably more capable device than the one going on sale this Friday — and a much stronger competitor in the smart display market.