LG Electronics has unveiled seven next-generation Internet of Things (IoT) devices co-developed with Apple, signaling a major strategic push to expand its smart home footprint alongside the Cupertino-based tech giant. The lineup was officially introduced during a joint launch event held on Oct. 13 (local time) in Manhattan, New York.
The new portfolio features an indoor camera, two outdoor camera models (with and without an integrated floodlight), a smart doorbell, a smart door lock, a thermostat, and a temperature sensor. The devices are scheduled to debut later this year in North America (the U.S. and Canada) and the U.K., with availability expanding to additional global markets in phases.
The seven IoT devices combine LG's hardware engineering prowess and proprietary living-space user data with Apple's mature platform ecosystem and seamless user experience (UX). The partnership reflects both companies' shared ambition to build an intuitive, frictionless smart home environment that blends naturally into consumers' daily routines.
Industry observers view the alliance as a strategic move to address each company's structural blind spots and capitalize on an accelerating market. According to market intelligence firm Global Market Insights, the global smart home market is projected to surge from $172 billion last year to $413.7 billion by 2035—more than doubling in scale. Since shuttering its mobile communications division in 2021, LG has sought an ecosystem bridge between its household appliances and mobile devices. Apple, conversely, commands an unparalleled mobile footprint but lacks a dedicated major appliance lineup, which has limited its reach in comprehensive home automation.
By delivering an interconnected IoT portfolio optimized across both environments, the two companies aim to secure a dominant first-mover position. With LG having shipped over 700 million home appliances worldwide and Apple's active installed base exceeding 2.5 billion mobile devices, the collaboration holds immense potential for platform synergy and market expansion.
The new lineup integrates natively with both LG's ThinQ smart home platform and Apple's ecosystem. Users can pair devices to an iPhone or iPad with a single tap, and device activity logs are automatically synced and structured in the cloud as personalized data for hassle-free device management.
Advanced contextual automation runs across the entire ecosystem. The smart thermostat actively balances indoor climate by factoring in local weather conditions and user routines tracked via iPhone or Apple Watch. The smart door lock recognizes subtle micro-movements upon arrival, unlocking hands-free without requiring manual authentication.
The indoor security camera distinguishes specific audio cues—such as an infant crying or glass breaking—to dispatch instant, actionable push notifications, while the outdoor models maintain round-the-clock perimeter surveillance. Across all camera-equipped models, including the video doorbell, on-device Vision AI enables real-time visual verification of conditions inside and around the perimeter of the home.
Both companies have also placed enterprise-grade security and data privacy at the core of the hardware. To shield sensitive behavioral data from external intrusion, the devices integrate LG's proprietary “LG Shield” framework alongside Apple's end-to-end encryption protocols, minimizing exposure to unauthorized data extraction or hacking.
“By unifying LG's deep expertise in residential living spaces and home appliances with Apple's benchmark user experience and our combined security capabilities, we will deliver an exceptionally safe, intuitive, and intelligent AI-powered home experience,” said Ki-hyun Jung, Executive Vice President and Head of LG Electronics' HS Platform Business Center.
