Apple And Lg Reportedly Develop Smart Home Devices

A reported collaboration would bring LG-branded locks, cameras and other devices into Apple’s planned smart home system, though the accessories may not reach stores for months.

Apple and LG are reportedly collaborating on a range of smart home devices, including a doorbell, lock and thermostat. According to Bloomberg reporting cited by TechCrunch, Engadget and The Verge, the products would carry LG’s brand while working with an upcoming Apple smart home hub. An announcement could come next week, but the devices’ release appears to be further away.

Table of Contents
  1. What the companies are developing
  2. A hub at the center of the plan
  3. Apple’s broader smart home push
  4. Sources

What the companies are developing

Engadget says Bloomberg based its account in part on recent LG regulatory filings. The reported lineup includes a smart doorbell, thermostat, deadbolt lock, indoor and outdoor security cameras, and a floodlight camera. TechCrunch likewise reports that Apple and LG are working on the lock, thermostat, doorbell and several types of camera.

The branding arrangement is a distinctive part of the reported partnership. Although the two companies developed the products together, they are expected to be sold under LG’s name rather than Apple’s, according to Engadget and The Verge. Engadget adds that LG would handle manufacturing and product support.

The Verge reports that several devices are expected to support the Thread and Matter smart home protocols. It also says the lock could use ultra-wideband technology to unlock automatically as a user approaches the door. These features, like the products themselves, have not yet been announced by the companies in the reports.

A hub at the center of the plan

The LG devices are reportedly intended to work with a new Apple smart home hub. TechCrunch says the hub is expected to have a six-inch square display and to sit on a countertop or mount on a wall. The Verge describes it as a Siri AI-enabled device and says it is expected to be unveiled at an event on October 13.

The reports distinguish a possible announcement from a product launch. TechCrunch says the LG devices could be announced next week without necessarily going on sale then. Engadget says Bloomberg expects the accessories to remain off the market for at least a few more months, even if Apple-branded devices arrive sooner.

Apple’s broader smart home push

The reported collaboration would be part of a larger effort by Apple to expand its connected-home offerings. Engadget says an updated HomePod mini and Apple TV set-top box may also be on the way, while The Verge says those devices could be revealed alongside the hub. Neither report presents those announcements as confirmed.

Engadget notes that LG has previously worked with Apple by offering Apple software on its smart TVs and supplying displays for Apple products. TechCrunch frames the planned lineup as a potential challenge to Amazon’s smart home offerings, including Ring security cameras. For now, the scope and timing of Apple and LG’s plans rest on reporting rather than product announcements.

Sources

This story was compiled by AI from the reports below. Read the originals for the full details.