HomeView's Square Display Is a Sensible Departure
Macworld argues that the HomeView's square, rounded-corner display may initially seem strange but is the right form factor for the device. The article notes that rectangular screens are the norm across TVs, computers, phones, tablets, and appliances, while Apple has rarely used square displays outside the Apple Watch. It suggests the HomeView could have been rectangular, but its squarish screen is a deliberate and suitable design choice.
The HomeView’s display is technically a squircle, not a true square, because its corners are rounded. Apple has seldom placed such screens in hardware beyond the Apple Watch, though the shape appears often in software. Rectangular displays remain standard across televisions, laptops, phones, tablets, handhelds, and even kitchen appliances.
Apple could have given the HomeView a rectangular panel, perhaps with rotation, but chose a squarish one for this device. Its role is limited: managing home technology, quick taps, FaceTime, and recipes. That makes it less like a phone or Mac and closer to an Apple Watch screen.
The HomeView’s unusual shape may influence how people expect smart-home displays to look. If Apple’s bet succeeds, other gadget makers could experiment with nonrectangular screens for low-interaction devices, affecting designers, developers, and households. Users might find square interfaces easier for glanceable controls, or they may resist unfamiliar proportions. Its impact likely remains modest, since the device complements phones rather than replacing them.