LG Electronics' devices jointly developed with AppleLG ELECTRONICS
LG Electronics unveiled seven smart home devices co-developed with Apple on Tuesday, pairing its manufacturing capabilities with Apple’s platform ecosystem in a push into the AI home market.
The products debuted at a launch event with Apple in Manhattan, New York. The lineup includes indoor and outdoor cameras, a video doorbell, a smart door lock, a smart thermostat and a temperature sensor. The two companies worked closely together from the earliest stages of product planning, according to LG.
Apple has previously expanded its smart device ecosystem through outside brands such as Belkin and Logitech. In this case, too, LG will manufacture the devices and sell them under the LG brand. They will launch first in North America, including the United States and Canada, and in Britain within the year.
For LG, the goal is to expand its AI home ecosystem. The company plans to add the new devices to its existing AI appliances, its ThinQ ON AI home hub and its ThinQ platform to strengthen features for managing homes inside and out. Integrating with Apple’s ecosystem, which counts more than 2.5 billion active devices worldwide, would widen LG’s reach to customers.
Apple, for its part, can expand its smart home lineup without the burden of manufacturing and managing a wide range of peripherals itself. Bloomberg said the deal signals LG’s expansion into the smart home business while giving Apple a chance to reboot its smart home business, where it has lagged behind Amazon and Google.
LG Electronics Magok business center in Gangseo District, western SeoulNEWS1
The new devices work with both LG ThinQ and Apple devices. Users can connect them to an iPhone or iPad and check or control them remotely. Usage history is stored in the cloud as personalized data.
The devices also adjust automatically to users’ movements. The thermostat links with the iPhone and Apple Watch to analyze users’ movements around the home, the time of day and the weather, then adjusts heating and cooling accordingly. Information gathered by sensors in individual rooms is also used to manage heating and cooling across the entire home. The door lock uses multiple sensors to detect movement and whether a user intends to enter, unlocking without any manual input. It also sends alerts when the door is left open or someone attempts to tamper with it or enter without authorization.
The cameras detect unusual activity inside and outside the home. The outdoor cameras and doorbell distinguish between people, animals, vehicles and packages to send alerts suited to each situation, while the indoor camera can detect sounds like a baby crying or glass breaking and send customized alerts. The devices are protected by LG Shield, the company's security solution, and Apple’s data encryption technology.
“By bringing LG’s expertise in home appliances and the home environment together with the Apple Home, we are creating intuitive, integrated experiences that fit naturally into customers' daily lives,” said Jung Ki-hyun, executive vice president and head of the Platform Business Center at the LG Home Appliance Solution Company.
“Apple has always focused on making products and experiences that are seamless and intuitive, and protect our users’ privacy ― and that matters more than ever in the home,” said Matthew Costello, Apple's vice president of Hardware Engineering. “Combining our hardware and software expertise with LG’s deep understanding of the home and connected living lets us build smart home experiences that are simpler to set up, are easier to control, and work effortlessly.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
