Bloomberg reports that Apple’s plans for smart home products include devices, sensors, and cameras codeveloped in partnership with LG. Here are the details.
Apple and LG working together on domestic connected devices
According to Bloomberg, Apple and LG have been working together to develop a series of connected home products that will complement Apple’s upcoming smart home hub, marking “a formal reboot of HomeKit.”
That includes “a doorbell, thermostat, […] a smart deadbolt lock, indoor security camera, outdoor security camera and floodlight camera,” says Bloomberg.
Gurman notes that although Apple and LG “worked together to develop the accessories, the products will carry the LG brand,” adding that “the South Korean firm is handling manufacturing and product support” and has sought regulatory approval in recent weeks.
This arrangement with so-called second-party suppliers gives Apple a way to quickly expand its ecosystem without shouldering the full cost and complexity of producing and supporting a wide range of accessories. Apple can also help shape the products’ design, tailor their features and oversee engineering while keeping the work largely under wraps.
It is worth noting that although these products are part of Apple’s broader push into the connected home, which is expected to expand next week with the introduction of its new smart home hub, an updated Apple TV, and a new HomePod mini, Bloomberg says that “the products aren’t expected to reach consumers for at least a few more months.”
Here’s Bloomberg:
In recent weeks, LG has sought regulatory approval for the devices, including with the US Federal Communications Commission and UL Solutions, a product certification company. In many cases, the databases for both organizations include filings that reveal product names, specifications, features and drawings of the accessories.
That includes products labeled as the LG Video Doorbell Wired, LG Floodlight Cam, LG Outdoor Cam Plug-In, LG Indoor Cam Plug-In, LG Smart Deadbolt Lock, LG Smart Thermostat and LG Temperature Sensor. LG requested that photos and more precise details on the products remain confidential until early next year. The filings don’t mention Apple’s involvement.
When it comes to connectivity and standards, the report notes that many devices will support Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Thread, and Matter. It adds that the smart lock also includes UWB (ultra-wideband), which will enable proximity-based features such as automatic door unlocking.
Finally, the report notes that for both Apple and LG, these products will mark a broader expansion into the smart home market, with Apple looking to give new momentum to its home ecosystem:
[Apple] is also planning its own additional offerings in the future, including a privacy-centric home-monitoring device, a version of its smart home hub that attaches the screen to a robotic arm, and an in-home security monitoring service, Bloomberg News has reported.
It is worth stressing that although today’s report comes on the heels of Apple’s announcement of the long-rumored ‘HomePad’ connected home hub and other products next week, the LG-made accessories aren’t expected to reach consumers for at least a few more months.
To read Bloomberg’s full report, follow this link.
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