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Apple launched its first Home Collection of smart home devices, developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric, alongside its HomeView smart display. Apple says Matter, a more conversational Siri and demand for simpler product recommendations helped make the move possible; pricing starts at $200, and the company says its wider Matter-compatible ecosystem will remain.
Apple has launched its first Home Collection, a lineup of smart home devices codeveloped with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric, alongside HomeView, its first smart display. The move gives Apple customers a company-curated option for cameras, thermostats, sensors, a smart lock and a video doorbell, after more than a decade of relying on third-party makers to fill out the HomeKit ecosystem.
Apple’s new products arrive after 12 years of HomeKit, which launched in 2014. In an interview with The Verge at Apple’s New York event, Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of product marketing for home, said two developments helped make the timing right: the Matter smart home standard and advances in artificial intelligence that support a more conversational Siri experience. She described both as part of the foundation for HomeView.
The Home Collection is designed to work through Apple Home without separate LG or Schneider accounts, according to Drance. Apple says setup is designed to take one tap and that device data is end-to-end encrypted. The products start at $200, according to The Verge’s report. Apple is also working with ADT through its retail stores to help customers install the devices.
The collection is not intended to replace other compatible smart home products. Drance said customers can continue to use the wider Matter and Works with Apple Home ecosystem. The lock, thermostats and sensors are Matter-compatible, while the cameras use Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video rather than Matter. The lock supports Aliro and works locally; all the devices support Thread, according to The Verge.
Apple Offers a Curated Smart Home
The launch addresses a gap in Apple’s smart home pitch: the company has supported compatible devices for years but had no Apple-branded lineup to recommend as a consistent starting point. Amazon and Google, by comparison, have established in-house smart home brands, Ring and Nest. Apple’s products give its large existing customer base a more direct route from an iPhone or smart display to connected home hardware.
The move may also help Apple shape how people enter the category. Research cited by The Verge from Parks Associates identifies lack of perceived value as the biggest barrier to buying smart home products; privacy, security, complexity and cost also rank high. Apple’s pitch focuses on simpler setup, a single app and privacy protections, but the new products’ starting price of $200 does not address cost. Whether a curated range persuades more customers to buy remains to be seen.
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From HomeKit to Apple Hardware
Since HomeKit launched in 2014, Apple’s approach has largely been to let customers choose among third-party products that support its platform. Matter later offered a shared standard intended to make products work across smart home ecosystems. That breadth gives customers options, but can leave them uncertain about which devices will fit together.
Drance told The Verge that customers sometimes ask Apple what products they should put in their homes. Apple chose to develop the collection with existing home-industry partners rather than manufacture the devices alone. Drance pointed to LG’s consumer product experience and Schneider Electric’s experience in home building and installation, while saying Apple contributed its design approach. The HomeView display is positioned as a gateway: customers might buy it for music, recipes or calendars and then add other home devices.
“With the magic of Siri AI, it comes together in a way that we haven’t been able to deliver before.”
— Kaiann Drance, Apple vice president of product marketing for home, speaking to The Verge
Matter-compatible smart thermostats
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Camera Support and Product Details
The source report does not provide specific release dates, full pricing by product or availability by country. It is also unclear how much the Home Collection will add beyond existing Apple Home-compatible devices. Drance described deeper integration, but The Verge reported that the collection does not have exclusive features; Apple’s intended benefit is that the listed products are designed to work together within its system.
The cameras’ use of HomeKit Secure Video instead of Matter is a notable exception to the collection’s otherwise broad Matter support. The Verge raised the possibility that Thread radios could make the cameras technically prepared for future Matter support, but Apple did not announce such support. The report suggested Apple could be waiting for Matter camera specifications to support encrypted uploads; that remains speculation, not a confirmed explanation from Apple.
Apple HomeKit Secure Video cameras
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Availability and Compatibility to Watch
The next practical details for customers are when the devices will go on sale, how much each product will cost and which markets will receive them. Apple’s partnership with ADT through its retail stores may also clarify how installation assistance will work. Until those details are announced, the $200 starting price is the clearest cost information available in the source report.
Customers and developers will also be watching whether Apple maintains its stated support for third-party Matter and Works with Apple Home devices as the collection grows. For now, Apple has presented the new hardware as a curated addition, not a closed replacement for its existing ecosystem. Camera interoperability is another open point, with no confirmed timetable for Matter support.
Apple smart lock with Thread support
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Key Questions
What did Apple announce?
Apple launched the Home Collection, a lineup of cameras, thermostats, sensors, a smart lock and a video doorbell developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric. It also introduced HomeView, its first smart display.
Why is Apple making smart home devices now?
Apple executive Kaiann Drance told The Verge that Matter and advances in AI for Siri helped make the move possible. The company also says the curated range responds to customers who want guidance on which devices to buy.
Will Apple’s products replace third-party smart home devices?
No. Drance said customers will retain access to Matter and Works with Apple Home products. Apple describes its collection as an additional curated option.
Do all the new devices support Matter?
No. The lock, thermostats and sensors are Matter-compatible, but the cameras use HomeKit Secure Video rather than Matter, according to The Verge. Apple has not announced a date for Matter support for those cameras.
How much do the devices cost, and when can people buy them?
The products start at $200, according to The Verge’s report. The source material does not give product-by-product prices or a confirmed retail launch date.
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