Apple Teams Up With LG Electronics to Target Smart Home Market

Apple, seeking to crack the smart home market using artificial intelligence (AI) technology, has joined hands with LG Electronics and is developing a range of devices together, it was reported on the 7th. The products will be released under the LG Electronics brand, with LG Electronics handling manufacturing, sales, and customer support. Apple will participate in product design and feature development, and the companies will collaborate through a division of roles that includes jointly overseeing engineering design.

The products being prepared by the two companies are said to include a video doorbell with a built-in camera, as well as smart door locks, indoor and outdoor security cameras, floodlight cameras, smart temperature sensors, and thermostats. LG Electronics has already begun certification procedures in the United States for some of the products. Confirmed regulatory documents list product names such as "LG Video Doorbell Wired," "LG Outdoor Cam Plug-in," and "LG Smart Deadbolt Lock." However, the documents do not explicitly mention joint development with Apple, so the partnership is known only through reporting that cited sources.

The smart door lock is said to employ ultra-wideband (UWB) technology that automatically unlocks when a user approaches. It is also reported to be compatible with Apple devices such as the iPhone and Apple Watch. These products are expected to work with a new smart home hub that Apple is known to be unveiling on the 13th.

In the global smart home market, Amazon's "Ring" and Google's "Nest" have already established ecosystems covering key product categories such as cameras, doorbells, and thermostats. While Apple has a strong device ecosystem built around the iPhone, Apple Watch, and HomePod, its smart home hardware lineup has been limited. The partnership is interpreted as a move to expand its ecosystem by leveraging LG Electronics' manufacturing and distribution capabilities.

The two companies have already cooperated in components such as displays. This partnership marks an expansion of the relationship into the joint development of finished products.