Why Apple Is Finally Making Its Own Smart Home Devices

TL;DR

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Apple has launched the Apple Home Collection, a range of smart home devices developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric, alongside its first smart display, HomeView. Apple says Matter, AI features in Siri and simpler setup made the move possible; the lineup also gives customers a curated set of products while the company says it will keep supporting third-party devices.

Apple has launched the Apple Home Collection, a lineup of cameras, thermostats, sensors, a smart lock and a video doorbell developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric, alongside its first smart display, HomeView. The move gives Apple-branded customers a curated set of smart home hardware after more than a decade of relying on third-party makers to fill out its HomeKit ecosystem.

Apple’s Kaiann Drance, vice president of product marketing for home, told The Verge that two developments helped make the launch possible: Matter, the interoperability standard Apple helped establish, and newer AI capabilities that support a more conversational Siri. Drance said the combination allowed Apple to bring the HomeView display and its home devices together in a way the company had not previously been able to deliver.

The collection is intended to offer customers a shorter list of products designed to work together, rather than asking them to choose among the many devices compatible with Apple Home. Drance said Apple heard customers ask which products they should buy. Apple worked with LG, which has consumer-product experience, and Schneider Electric, which works in home construction and installations. Apple is also partnering with ADT through its retail stores to help customers install devices.

Apple says the products use the Apple Home app and do not require separate LG or Schneider accounts. Drance described one-tap setup and privacy as design priorities, and said data is end-to-end encrypted. The lock, thermostats and sensors support Matter; the lock also supports Aliro and operates locally. All devices support Thread. The cameras use Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video rather than Matter.

A Curated Route Into Apple Home

The launch addresses a gap in Apple’s smart home pitch: the company has promoted a platform without offering a cohesive range of its own devices for customers unsure where to begin. A branded collection could make setup and product selection feel more straightforward, while HomeView may serve as a visible hub that introduces customers to other connected devices.

There are also limits to the proposition. The products start at $200, so the launch does not answer cost concerns. The Verge cited Parks Associates research identifying perceived value as the biggest barrier to smart home purchases, with privacy, security and complexity also ranking high. Elizabeth Parks, the firm’s president and chief marketing officer, told The Verge that Apple has a large and loyal customer base, which may help the company reach people who have not yet adopted smart home products.

For Apple, the collection adds a more direct role in an increasingly competitive market where Amazon and Google already sell their own smart home devices through Ring and Nest. The launch may also help Apple show customers what its platform can do, but the source report does not establish whether the new products offer capabilities unavailable from existing Apple Home-compatible devices.

From HomeKit to Hardware

Apple introduced HomeKit in 2014 and has since relied on products from outside manufacturers. Its Home platform supports devices from companies using HomeKit and, increasingly, Matter. That approach offers customers a wide selection, but it can also leave them to work out which products fit their needs and work well together.

The new collection does not replace that wider ecosystem, Drance told The Verge. She said Apple intends to keep supporting Matter and products carrying the Works with Apple Home designation. The company is presenting its own devices as a more guided option within the existing platform, not as the only way to build a connected home.

That distinction matters because Matter is designed to let compatible devices work across different smart home systems. Apple’s participation in the standard sits alongside its interest in a deeper, more controlled experience through its own hardware and software. The collection combines both approaches, though not every product follows the same standard: its cameras rely on HomeKit Secure Video.

“With the magic of Siri AI, it comes together in a way that we haven’t been able to deliver before.”

— Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of product marketing for home, speaking to The Verge

Camera Support and Product Benefits

It remains unclear whether Apple will add Matter support to the collection’s cameras. The Verge reported that their Thread radios may indicate readiness for future support, but Apple did not announce that change. The report suggested the company could be waiting for Matter camera specifications to support encrypted uploads; that is a possibility, not a confirmed explanation from Apple.

The source material also does not specify how the collection’s individual features compare with other Apple Home-compatible products, or whether the products will be available in every market at launch. Drance described deeper integration, but the report says the collection does not have exclusive features. The products’ prices, rollout details and performance in customers’ homes remain areas to watch.

Availability and Matter Developments

The next practical milestones are the products’ rollout and how customers respond to Apple’s setup, privacy and integration claims. Apple’s retail-store partnership with ADT is intended to support installation, but the source report does not give detailed availability dates or explain which regions will receive the full lineup.

Apple says Matter and third-party support will continue, so the collection’s longer-term role will depend on how it sits alongside other compatible devices. Camera support is a key technical question: any future move to Matter would clarify whether Apple intends to bring that category further into the shared standard or keep it tied to HomeKit Secure Video.

Key Questions

What did Apple announce?

Apple launched the Apple Home Collection, including cameras, thermostats, sensors, a smart lock and a video doorbell, and introduced HomeView, its first smart display. The devices were developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric.

Why is Apple entering smart home hardware now?

Apple’s Kaiann Drance told The Verge that Matter and newer AI capabilities for Siri helped make the products possible. She said those technologies allowed Apple to bring the HomeView display and the wider home experience together.

Will Apple stop supporting third-party smart home devices?

No. Drance said Apple will continue supporting Matter and products that work with Apple Home. The company describes its collection as an additional, curated option rather than a replacement for third-party hardware.

Do all the new devices use Matter?

No. The lock, thermostats and sensors are Matter-compatible, while the cameras use HomeKit Secure Video rather than Matter. Apple has not announced whether camera support for Matter will be added.

What remains unknown about the launch?

The report does not provide detailed rollout dates or regional availability. It also does not confirm whether the cameras will gain Matter support or identify capabilities exclusive to the collection.

Source: rss