Apple is entering the smart home business with cameras, a doorbell, a door lock and thermostats. The new Apple Home Collection starts at $39.95 and goes up to $399.95, and most of it arrives in December.
If you already use an iPhone, this is important. Apple has worked with LG and Schneider Electric to build gadgets that are set up with a touch and work together with its new HomeView screen. That could make a smart home easier to run.
What’s in the Apple Home Collection
LG makes most of the lineup. Here are the US prices:
- LG Video Doorbell: $249.95
- LG Floodlight Cam: $399.95
- LG Outdoor Cam: $299.95
- LG Indoor Cam: $199.95
- LG Smart Deadbolt Lock: $349.95
- LG Smart Thermostat: $199.95
- Schneider Home Smart Thermostat: $199.95
- Temperature sensors: $39.95 each
The cameras and doorbell are sold in the US, Canada and the UK. The lock, thermostats and sensors are only sold in the US and Canada. Most products will arrive in December in Apple Stores and Apple’s website. Some items will not arrive until early 2027.
So, what can you expect from these smart home devices? The names are quite a gift already. For starters, cameras can tell the difference between a person, a pet, a car and a package.
That means your phone can tell you “package at the door” instead of just “motion detected”. The video quality goes up to 2.5K, which is sharper than standard HD. Each camera also has its own built-in storage, so it’s recorded even if your Wi-Fi goes down. When the internet comes back, the pictures will be there.
As for the Smart Lock, it uses a short-range wireless technology called Ultra Wideband to sense when you step on the door. It can unlock for you when you arrive, so you don’t have to dig out your keys. It can also tell if the door is open or closed. Apple says it works locally, so it doesn’t need the internet to do its job.
What you need
You need an iPhone to set everything up. Some functions also require a home hub, which can be HomeView, a HomePod or an Apple TV 4K.
The cameras also require a paid iCloud+ plan if you want to keep 10 days of video history. Apple also offers professional installation of ADT in its US stores for an extra fee.
Not everything works on Apple’s world. The cameras and doorbell use Apple’s own video system, so they only work with Apple products. Apple says the lock and thermostat support Matter, a standard that lets gadgets from different brands work together. This should give them a better chance to work with other systems.