Apple debuts the Apple Home Collection of smart devices, including cameras, thermostats and door locks
Apple has introduced the Apple Home Collection, a group of smart home devices developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric for its HomeView display and Home app. The launch expands Apple’s smart home range with security, access and heating products, while making privacy and simple setup central to how the devices are presented.
Most products are made by LG, including indoor and outdoor cameras, a video doorbell, a door lock and a thermostat; Schneider Electric also makes a thermostat. The outdoor camera can recognise faces, pets and deliveries, and save video to iCloud+; the lock can unlock when it detects a nearby iPhone or Apple Watch. Prices range from $199 for indoor cameras and thermostats to $399 for the outdoor camera with floodlight. Most devices support Matter, but the cameras and doorbell work only with Apple products; the cameras are also due to arrive in the UK.
- Apple launched smart home devices with LG and Schneider Electric.
- Prices range from $199 to $399.
- Cameras and doorbell require Apple products.
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Smart home devices connect to the internet so people can control household equipment, such as lights, heating and security cameras, through an app or screen. Apple’s Home app brings compatible devices together, while HomeView is a display for managing them around the home.
Apple is a technology company whose products include the iPhone and Apple Watch; LG Electronics and Schneider Electric make home electronics and energy equipment. Matter is a shared standard designed to help smart home devices from different manufacturers work together, though compatibility can vary by product.
These devices can affect home security, access and heating, so buyers may weigh convenience against privacy and compatibility with equipment they already own. Storing camera footage through iCloud+ also links its use to Apple’s online storage service.
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The case for
The collection could make home security and heating easier to manage by bringing cameras, locks and thermostats into Apple’s existing Home app, with simple setup and familiar devices. iCloud video storage and automatic unlocking may also appeal to people who value convenience and an integrated system, while Matter support gives many products compatibility beyond Apple.
The case against
The collection’s convenience comes with trade-offs: the cameras and doorbell work only with Apple products, which may limit choice and tie users more closely to one ecosystem. Face recognition and cloud-stored security footage also raise privacy questions, while prices of up to $399 may make the range less accessible than alternatives.