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Apple has announced Apple Home Collection, a smart home range developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric, covering cameras, a video doorbell, climate controls, sensors and a smart deadbolt. Apple says the products will be set up and managed through Apple Home, with availability beginning in December and selected products following in early 2027.
Apple announced Apple Home Collection, a new range of smart home accessories developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric, marking a more direct role for the company in hardware development. The collection includes cameras, a video doorbell, climate-control products and a smart deadbolt, with availability beginning in December and some products scheduled for early 2027.
Apple says the devices were developed in collaboration with the two manufacturers rather than simply being existing products certified to work with Apple Home. The company says users can set up the accessories from an iPhone and manage them in the Home app, without installing a separate manufacturer app or creating a separate LG or Schneider Electric account. They can also be controlled through Siri, according to the announcement.
The range includes indoor and outdoor cameras, a two-camera video doorbell, a smart deadbolt, thermostats, and temperature and humidity sensors. Apple says every product supports Thread; the deadbolt, thermostats and sensors are specifically identified as Matter-compatible. The collection’s connectivity features and product details vary by device, and the announcement does not provide prices.
LG’s cameras record video at up to 2.5K resolution, according to the source report, and can identify people, familiar faces, pets, vehicles and packages. The report says event recordings can be stored with a supported iCloud+ plan, with up to 10 days of video history for compatible cameras. The LG video doorbell has separate camera views for visitors and packages, plus a built-in spotlight. The deadbolt combines Matter and Apple home key with Ultra Wideband and Aliro support; other listed entry methods include a keypad, a physical key and tapping a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch.
Apple’s Hardware Role Expands
The announcement changes the shape of Apple’s smart home approach: rather than relying only on its Home app, HomeKit framework and support for Matter devices built by others, Apple says it worked directly with manufacturers on the products and their integration. That could give Apple more influence over setup and how accessories operate within its ecosystem, although the announcement does not spell out how responsibilities for product support, updates or repairs will be divided.
For customers, the clearest stated benefit is a simpler setup and management path. Avoiding extra apps and accounts may reduce friction for households already using Apple Home. Thread and Matter also matter beyond this collection: they are intended to support interoperability and connectivity across compatible smart home products, rather than requiring every device to depend on a separate manufacturer ecosystem. Apple says Thread can help maintain accessory connectivity if Wi-Fi is unavailable, but actual performance will depend on the home network and compatible equipment.
The lock’s Aliro and Ultra Wideband support may also be relevant to people considering hands-free entry. Apple describes proximity and direction detection as part of its approach to unlocking for an authorised user with a home key on a compatible device. The announcement does not establish which devices, regions or installation conditions will support every feature, so shoppers will need product-level details before deciding what fits their home.
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From HomeKit to a Joint Range
Apple has long offered a platform for third-party smart home accessories through HomeKit and the Apple Home app, and has more recently supported Matter. Under that model, hardware companies generally make the products while Apple provides tools and compatibility requirements. Apple Home Collection is presented as a closer collaboration: Apple says it worked with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric during product development and integration.
The announcement places different parts of the range with the two partners. LG is associated with the cameras, video doorbell and deadbolt, while Schneider Electric is contributing climate-control products, including the Schneider Home Smart Thermostat. Schneider Electric chief executive Olivier Blum said the company’s work focuses on climate control and energy management. The source report says LG executive vice president Kihyun Jung described the collaboration as an effort to create a more connected and convenient home experience.
Apple’s Matthew Costello, vice president of Hardware Engineering, said the collection aims to make compatible accessories easier to choose and provide a consistent experience across Apple Home. These are statements of intent from the companies; the range’s pricing, detailed specifications and user experience can only be evaluated once products and testing are available.
“The aim is to make choosing compatible smart home accessories easier while providing a consistent experience across Apple Home.”
— Matthew Costello, Apple vice president of Hardware Engineering
Prices and Compatibility Details Pending
The announcement, as described in the source report, does not list prices, exact launch dates for individual devices, or availability by country. It also does not detail which products will arrive in December and which will follow in early 2027. Those distinctions could affect buyers comparing the range with existing accessories.
Further technical and service details remain to be confirmed, including device-specific Matter compatibility beyond the products identified, required Apple Home hubs and compatible iPhone or Apple Watch models, and the iCloud+ plans needed for camera recording features. The source report says Apple describes camera footage and Home app data as protected by end-to-end encryption, but it does not provide a full breakdown of retention settings or feature availability. Some camera functions are also described as requiring eligible iCloud+ plans.
Apple’s statements establish what the companies say the products are designed to do, not how they perform in homes. It is not yet clear how much of the collection’s experience depends on Apple hardware, how firmware updates and long-term support will be handled, or whether the products will work with other Matter platforms with the same feature set as they do in Apple Home.
Product Launch Details to Follow
The next confirmed milestone is the start of availability in December, followed by selected products in early 2027. Apple and its partners have not supplied a more detailed release calendar in the source report. Buyers can expect product listings and launch information to clarify which accessories arrive first, where they will be sold and how much they cost.
Before purchase, consumers will also need to check device-specific requirements, including compatible Apple Home hubs, supported phones and watches, and any iCloud+ plan needed for video history or other camera features. Reviews and practical testing after launch should help establish how well the setup process, Thread connectivity, camera features and smart lock functions work in different homes.
Key Questions
What is Apple Home Collection?
It is a new range of smart home accessories that Apple says it developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric. The collection includes cameras, a video doorbell, climate-control products, sensors and a smart deadbolt.
When will the products be available?
Apple says availability begins in December, with selected products due in early 2027. The source report does not specify individual release dates or which products will arrive first.
Do the devices require LG or Schneider Electric apps?
Apple says the collection can be set up from an iPhone and managed through the Apple Home app, without a separate manufacturer app or account.
Which technologies does the collection support?
Apple says every product supports Thread. The smart deadbolt, thermostats, and temperature and humidity sensors are identified as Matter-compatible. The deadbolt also supports Apple home key, Ultra Wideband and Aliro.
How much will the devices cost?
Pricing has not been provided in the source report. Apple and its partners have also not listed detailed country-by-country availability.
Source: rss
