Apple is coming for Google Home, and LG could help it get there

Apple’s smart home ambitions are about to get a lot bigger than a new screen on your kitchen counter. The company has long relied on other manufacturers to fill most of the gaps around HomeKit, leaving Google and Amazon with much broader hardware lineups. But with Apple reportedly preparing to unveil its long-awaited smart home hub next week, we’re now learning that it has quietly helped build the accessories needed to turn that hub into something closer to a complete ecosystem.

According to Bloomberg, Apple has partnered with LG to develop a surprisingly extensive collection of smart home hardware. The lineup includes a video doorbell, smart deadbolt, thermostat, temperature sensor, indoor and outdoor security cameras, and a floodlight camera. However, you won’t see an Apple logo on these products. They’ll carry LG branding, with LG handling manufacturing and customer support while Apple reportedly helped shape the designs, features, and engineering.

That arrangement also brings an old Apple rumor full circle. Back in 2024, Bloomberg reported that Apple was working on a Face ID doorbell that could unlock compatible smart locks and suggested the company could partner with another manufacturer to offer a complete door-entry system. Apple has never launched its own first-party video doorbell, and it now appears LG could be the partner that finally gets that idea onto consumers’ front doors.

Recent FCC and UL filings have already revealed several upcoming products. Many support Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Thread, and Matter, while the smart lock reportedly adds UWB, potentially allowing it to unlock automatically as an authorized user approaches.

The timing is no accident. Apple is expected to introduce its new smart home hub on October 13, alongside an upgraded HomePod mini and Apple TV. The hub is reportedly built heavily around the new Siri and personalized household controls, giving these LG accessories a central place to live.

The US market certainly isn’t short on smart doorbells, cameras, locks, or thermostats from Ring, Google Nest, and plenty of others. But Apple rarely needs to invent a category to make an impact. For households already packed with iPhones, Apple Watches, and HomePods, a tightly integrated home lineup could be exactly what many have been waiting for.

The catch is that the LG accessories reportedly won’t arrive alongside Apple’s October 13 hardware. Development is running behind, with Bloomberg saying they are still at least a few months away.