Apple partners with LG to launch smart lock, thermostat and doorbell

# Apple and LG Reportedly Team Up on New Smart Home Devices

Apple is expanding its smart home ambitions through a reported partnership with LG that could bring a new range of connected household devices to the market.

According to a Bloomberg report, the companies are developing several products designed to work closely with Apple’s broader smart home ecosystem. The lineup is expected to include a smart lock, thermostat and doorbell, with each device built to integrate with Apple’s upcoming smart home hub.

The smart lock is reportedly being designed with ultra-wideband, or UWB, technology. The feature could allow the lock to recognize a compatible device as a user approaches the door and unlock it automatically, offering a more seamless alternative to traditional keys or manual controls.

Apple and LG are also reportedly developing a broader security lineup, including indoor and outdoor cameras and a floodlight. Unlike the other products being developed as part of Apple’s ecosystem, these devices are expected to carry LG branding.

The LG-branded products are not expected to arrive immediately. Reports indicate that the camera and other security devices could take several more months before they are ready for release.

The partnership comes as Apple looks to strengthen its position against established smart home platforms operated by Amazon and Google. Apple introduced HomeKit in 2014 and has steadily expanded the platform, but its smart home ecosystem has remained smaller than Amazon Alexa and Google Home.

Amazon and Google have built extensive networks of compatible products while also offering their own hardware, giving consumers a wider selection of devices that can be controlled through their respective platforms.

The reported LG partnership could help Apple address that gap by ensuring that more major household products are designed with its smart home technology in mind.

Apple is also expected to unveil a new smart home hub on October 13. The device is reportedly being designed around a roughly 6-inch square display that could either sit on a countertop or be mounted on a wall.

The hub is expected to become the central control point for Apple-connected devices throughout the home. Reports suggest it could use artificial intelligence to recognize different members of a household and deliver personalized information, controls and responses.

A major focus of the device is expected to be Apple’s upgraded Siri technology. The company has been working to bring more advanced AI capabilities to Siri, and the new hub could provide a dedicated platform for those features within the home.

The October launch could also include refreshed versions of the HomePod mini and Apple TV. Both devices are reportedly expected to retain designs similar to their current generations while receiving faster internal components to support newer Siri capabilities.

The HomePod mini would receive its first major refresh since Apple introduced the compact smart speaker in 2020. Apple is also reportedly preparing its first new Apple TV hardware since 2022.

Together, the new hub, upgraded speakers and television hardware could form the foundation of a broader Apple smart home strategy, while the reported LG collaboration would add additional connected products to the ecosystem.

The approach would allow Apple to compete more directly with Amazon and Google by combining its hardware, software and AI capabilities with a larger selection of everyday smart home devices.