Apple’s HomeView has an app problem: It's been a couple of days since

Apple's HomeView is the home hub from the big smart home announcement a couple of days before October 16, 2026. It has plenty of computing oomph, is always connected to power, and looks like a perfect place to run a bunch of apps, yet it is relying almost entirely on CarPlay. The Verge's report is that Vergecast episode, published at 3:38 PM UTC, with David Pierce and Nilay asking why Apple would choose not to make this home hub its own app platform.

This piece covers that app situation, who it affects, how the software is described, and the open questions. It is for readers of the smart home announcement, for CarPlay users, and for Vergecast listeners. David Pierce and Nilay also discuss the latest Gemini model, competing with Muse, slinking back to X, Twitter replacements, and Brendan Carr.

Apple’s HomeView has an app problem: the announcement

David Pierce bylines the Vergecast page for October 16, 2026, 3:38 PM UTC. He is editor-at-large and Vergecast co-host, with over a decade of experience covering consumer tech, previously at Protocol, The Wall Street Journal, and Wired. Nilay joins him. The dek says, "Relying on CarPlay, slinking back to X, competing with Muse, and much more." A couple of days after Apple's big smart home announcement, the hosts have more information and a bunch of new questions about Apple HomeView.

HomeView has plenty of computing oomph, is always connected to power, and looks like a perfect place to run a bunch of apps, yet it is relying almost entirely on CarPlay. The episode asks, "What gives here?" Pierce and Nilay try to make sense of the app situation and of why Apple would choose not to make its home hub its own app platform. The page lists Watch, Listen, or Get ad-free. A note adds the rest of the HomeView launch news.

What actually changed with Apple’s HomeView has an app problem

Newer information from the hosts covers the HomeView app situation. The hub still has plenty of computing oomph and is still always connected to power, and it still looks like a perfect place to run a bunch of apps. The October 16, 2026 episode says the hub is relying almost entirely on CarPlay. Pierce and Nilay try to make sense of why Apple would choose not to make the home hub its own app platform. A bunch of new questions remain.

Pierce and Nilay turn to the latest Gemini model and whether building the best model matters if you cannot build the best products around it. The dek adds competing with Muse. They debate returning to X, called slinking back to X, and why none of the supposed Twitter replacements worked. Notes add what they call "the latest in Brendan Carr nonsense," and much more. Also this week: the rest of the HomeView launch news, the first big AI slop case, and recording devices.

Who should care about Apple’s HomeView has an app problem

This is for anyone who expected HomeView, after Apple's smart home announcement, to run a bunch of apps on its own. The hub has plenty of computing oomph, is always connected to power, and looks like a perfect place for those apps. The October 16, 2026 episode says HomeView is relying almost entirely on CarPlay. Pierce and Nilay ask why Apple would choose not to make the home hub its own app platform. CarPlay users are part of that group.

Also on the October 16 hour: the latest Gemini model and the products around it, competing with Muse, and returning to X after none of the supposed Twitter replacements worked. The notes include what they call "the latest in Brendan Carr nonsense." The missed-week note is for anyone catching the rest of the HomeView launch news, the first big AI slop case, or how to live in a world filled with recording devices. Those are the other listeners this episode addresses.

How to try Apple’s HomeView has an app problem

The October 16, 2026 notes give no HomeView price, ship date, version number, or install steps. The device has plenty of computing oomph and is always connected to power, but it is relying almost entirely on CarPlay. Pierce and Nilay ask why Apple would choose not to make the home hub its own app platform, and no separate platform is described. The notes place those apps almost entirely on CarPlay. The page asks, "What gives here?" a couple of days after the announcement.

Watch, Listen, and Get ad-free are the three labels on the episode, with no fee printed for the ad-free option. The Vergecast Hotline is 866-VERGE11, printed on the page. The email is vergecast@theverge.com. The page asks people to call or write about what is on their mind, HomeView included, and to subscribe so an episode is not missed. Following topics and authors, David Pierce among them, updates the homepage feed and email. Listed topics are Apple, Gadgets, Podcasts, Tech, and Vergecast.

What to watch after Apple’s HomeView has an app problem

A couple of days after Apple's big smart home announcement, there is more information and still a bunch of new questions. The mismatch is plenty of computing oomph, always connected to power, a perfect place to run a bunch of apps, and reliance almost entirely on CarPlay. Pierce and Nilay are still asking why Apple would choose not to make its home hub into its own app platform. The rest of the HomeView launch news is marked as already discussed this week.

The October 16, 2026 episode has the latest Gemini model and whether building the best model matters if you cannot build the best products around it, plus competing with Muse, slinking back to X, and why none of the supposed Twitter replacements worked. It has what the notes call "the latest in Brendan Carr nonsense." Also in the week: the first big AI slop case and how to live in a world filled with recording devices. Call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com.