Comparisons

Apple HomeView is not sold in Latvia. What to do with Matter now

Apple's new home screen will not be sold in the EU for now. Do not wait for it: Matter devices are on sale already, including at IKEA in Riga.

Aug 20, 2026 · NextTek

Short answer: Apple's new HomeView home screen will not be sold in Latvia or anywhere in the EU for now. Do not wait for it. Matter devices are on sale already, and Apple says HomeView controls Matter devices, so nothing has to go in the bin if it arrives one day.

What HomeView is

Apple showed it on 13 October. It is a 7-inch screen on a speaker base or on the wall. It shows lights, thermostats and cameras, makes FaceTime calls and recognises up to six people by face. The US price is $299. Sales start on 13 November in eight countries: the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore and South Africa.

Why not in Latvia

Apple itself says HomeView is not sold in the EU because Siri AI is not available on iOS in the EU. No date is given (MacRumors). Siri AI speaks only English at first, and Latvian is not on the Apple Intelligence language list either.

You can order from the UK, but the whole idea of HomeView is Siri AI. It is unclear how much of it would work here, so paying for it is not worth it yet.

Matter and Thread in plain words

Matter is a shared language for smart devices. A Matter device works with Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings and Home Assistant. You no longer have to pick one company's app for life.

Matter runs over Wi‑Fi or over Thread. Thread is a low-power network for battery sensors, similar to Zigbee. Thread devices need a Thread border router, a box that links Thread to your home network. That can be a HomePod mini, a Google Nest Hub (2nd gen), IKEA DIRIGERA or Home Assistant with a Thread antenna.

IKEA already sells Matter sensors

If you want to try it cheaply, IKEA's new sensors are a good start. The KLIPPBOK water leak sensor costs €9.99 on IKEA Latvia's site. It beeps when it gets wet and, with a hub, sends a message to your phone. It runs on Thread, so without a border router you will see nothing on the phone. Batteries are sold separately.

What to pick now

Take Apple Home if everyone at home has an iPhone

The hub is a HomePod or an Apple TV. Without one, automations and remote access will not work, and a HomePod mini also acts as a Thread border router.

Take Google Home if the house runs on Android

A Nest Hub (2nd gen) or another Google hub with Thread. Same Matter, different app.

Take Home Assistant if the house has a bit of everything

iPhone and Android in one family, old Zigbee sensors, a heat pump, solar panels. Home Assistant pulls it all together and runs locally. Later it can be linked to Apple Home or Google Home too. More in the post about Home Assistant.

You feel this choice most in the lighting, because you use it every day. How NextTek puts lighting together with switches, sensors and scenes is on the lighting automation page.

Sources: Apple, MacRumors, Apple Intelligence, IKEA Latvia (KLIPPBOK). Checked in October 2026.

Common questions

Can I buy Apple HomeView in Latvia?

No. Apple says HomeView is not sold in the EU because Siri AI is not available on iOS in the EU. No date is given, so it is not worth planning around it yet.

Is it worth ordering HomeView from the UK?

Not yet. Its whole idea is Siri AI, which is not available on iPhones in the EU and speaks only English at first. It is unclear how many features would work here.

What is Matter?

A shared standard for smart devices. A Matter device works with Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, SmartThings and Home Assistant, so you are not tied to one maker.

What is a Thread border router?

A device that links Thread sensors to your home network. It can be a HomePod mini, a Nest Hub (2nd gen), IKEA DIRIGERA or Home Assistant with a Thread antenna.

Does IKEA KLIPPBOK work with an iPhone?

Yes, through Apple Home, since it is Matter. But it runs on Thread, so you need a border router at home, such as a HomePod mini or IKEA DIRIGERA. Without one it only beeps.

Do I have to throw out my old Zigbee devices?

No. They can stay on their hub or move to Home Assistant. Some hubs, such as IKEA DIRIGERA, can also show them in a Matter system as a bridge.

Does Apple Home work without a HomePod?

You will see devices on the phone, but Apple needs a home hub, a HomePod or Apple TV, for automations and remote access. Thread devices also need a border router.

Which one: Apple, Google or Home Assistant?

If everyone has an iPhone, Apple Home. If Android, Google Home. If the family has both or the house already has lots of different kit, Home Assistant, which can link to both later.

Want this in your home?

Tell us what you have now. We will answer with a next step, not a catalogue.