Apple’s new HomeView smart home hub is already facing skepticism from prominent technology reviewer Marques Brownlee. In an impressions video published on his MKBHD YouTube channel, Brownlee said he could not identify a group of users for whom the device would be an ideal fit.

His main concern is that HomeView appears to overlap with several products Apple already sells, including the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and HomePod. In Brownlee’s view, that overlap makes it difficult to understand what the new hub adds to the Apple ecosystem.

Why MKBHD is unconvinced by HomeView

Brownlee’s criticism focuses less on a specific flaw and more on the product’s position within Apple’s existing lineup. The company already offers multiple devices that can be used across its ecosystem, and HomeView does not appear to provide enough additional value to clearly separate itself from them.

“I cannot figure any group that this is actually ideal for,” Brownlee said in the video. That assessment suggests HomeView may struggle to appeal both to existing Apple customers and to people looking for a dedicated smart home hub.

For current Apple users, the question is whether HomeView provides something meaningfully different from the devices they already own. If it mainly duplicates functions associated with an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or HomePod, buyers may find it hard to justify adding another product.

HomeView faces a crowded Apple ecosystem

Apple’s ecosystem is a central part of the HomeView discussion. The company’s products are designed to work together, but that also means a new device must establish a clear reason to exist alongside familiar hardware. Brownlee argues that HomeView has not yet demonstrated enough “extra value” to meet that standard.

That does not necessarily mean the hub has no audience. It does mean that, based on Brownlee’s impressions, the product’s appeal may depend on a buyer seeing a specific advantage that is not already covered by another Apple device. The source material does not identify a particular feature or user group that resolves that concern.

Brownlee’s recommendation for most buyers

Brownlee’s conclusion is straightforward: HomeView should be a skip for most people. His view is especially relevant to shoppers deciding whether the hub deserves a place in an Apple-focused home setup, since the core issue is not whether it belongs to the ecosystem but whether it adds enough to the products already in that ecosystem.

Apple’s introduction of HomeView gives the company another product in the smart home category, while Brownlee’s reaction highlights the challenge of expanding an established lineup without creating unnecessary overlap. Whether HomeView proves useful will likely depend on how buyers assess its distinct role beside their existing Apple devices.