LG Electronics emerges as Apple's home AI ally

LG Electronics has built an alliance with Apple in the home artificial intelligence (AI) sector, unveiling a range of internet of things (IoT) devices that will be integrated into Apple's ecosystem.

The two companies’ partnership is now extending into the home appliance sector, evolving from component supplies and service integration to jointly developing finished products. For LG Electronics, the collaboration provides access to Apple’s global ecosystem, while Apple can leverage LG’s expertise in home appliances to strengthen its presence in the smart home market.

LG Electronics and Apple jointly held a new product showcase in Manhattan, New York, Tuesday (local time), unveiling seven IoT devices. LG Electronics North America CEO Kwack Do-yeong, LG Electronics Home Appliance Solution Platform Business Center Head Jung Ki-hyun and Apple Vice President of Hardware Engineering Matthew Costello attended the event.

Dubbed as smart home accessories, the devices include indoor and outdoor cameras, a video doorbell, a smart lock, a smart thermostat and a temperature sensor. They were co-developed with Apple for the Apple Home Collection and are scheduled to launch first in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. by the end of this year.

The new devices are compatible with both LG Electronics' AI home platform, LG ThinQ, and Apple's ecosystem, allowing users to check their status and control them from anywhere. All devices can be connected to mobile devices, including iPhones and iPads, while their usage history is automatically stored in the cloud as personalized data for easy management.

The latest collaboration bears its significance because the two companies have jointly developed finished products from the planning stage, rather than simply supplying components or integrating Apple services into LG Electronics’ existing products.

Since 2019, LG Electronics has supported Apple's AirPlay 2 and HomeKit on its TVs, and later begun to support the Apple TV app. Across LG Group, LG Display supplies OLED panels for iPhones, LG Innotek provides camera modules and LG Energy Solution is also one of Apple's battery cell suppliers.

The two companies' alliance in the home AI sector comes as the market is emerging as a new revenue generator. Market tracker GMI expects the global smart home market to grow from $186.3 billion this year to $413.7 billion by 2035, at a compound annual growth rate of 9.3 percent.

During the latest showcase, Apple also unveiled HomeView, alongside new versions of the HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K, as part of its expansion into the home AI sector.

However, Apple has traditionally focused on consumer electronics and has limited experience in home appliances and systems such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning devices, smart locks and security cameras, making LG Electronics' expertise in these areas valuable as Apple seeks to establish a stronger presence in the smart home market.

While LG Electronics has been enhancing its own home AI ecosystem since 2024, becoming part of Apple's powerful ecosystem, backed by more than 2.5 billion active devices, could provide a significant boost to its home AI campaign.

LG Electronics said the new products will significantly strengthen its lineup of IoT devices, a key component of its AI home strategy, and further expand its AI home ecosystem built around AI-powered appliances. By connecting its products with Apple's platform, the company plans to broaden the reach of its AI home ecosystem and offer customers a richer user experience.

“Creating a truly connected home requires products that work seamlessly together,” Jung said. “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.”