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Apple has scheduled product announcements for Oct. 13 and teased them with the words “Welcome home.” Reporting and references found in Apple software point to possible smart home accessories developed with LG and selected Schneider Electric products, but Apple has not confirmed those plans.
Apple has set October 13 for its next product announcements, using a “Welcome home” teaser that points toward a possible smart home focus. Apple has not confirmed what it will announce, but earlier Bloomberg reporting about accessories developed with LG and product references found in Apple software suggest the event could mark a wider push around Apple Home.
The teaser was posted on October 8 by Apple marketing chief Greg Joswiak. Its wording and imagery have prompted speculation about smart home products, but the video itself does not identify any devices. Reports and software findings provide clues, rather than confirmation of an October 13 launch lineup.
Bloomberg has reported that Apple is helping LG develop seven home accessories: a wired video doorbell, smart deadbolt, thermostat, temperature sensor, indoor camera, outdoor camera and floodlight camera. The products are reportedly expected to carry LG branding, with Apple involved in their design, features and engineering. Regulatory filings provide details on three reported devices, including a thermostat with Bluetooth Low Energy and Thread connectivity, a battery-powered temperature and humidity sensor, and a deadbolt offered in two finishes.
Separately, researcher pdfu identified 10 accessory identifiers in an iOS 27.2 HomeKit Matter table labeled “_secondPartyProducts.” Six identifiers correspond to LG products or variants and four use Schneider Electric’s vendor ID. The count refers to identifiers, not necessarily 10 distinct products. The Schneider entries include a thermostat, a thermostat test variant, a temperature and humidity sensor, and an unidentified accessory.
Apple Home Could Gain More Devices
If the reports prove accurate, Apple would be working with manufacturers on both the accessory hardware and its software experience, rather than relying only on third-party devices that support common smart home standards. Closer coordination could help align a device’s capabilities with the controls and setup options available in Apple Home.
That approach could matter to customers choosing products such as locks, cameras and thermostats, where setup and day-to-day reliability are as relevant as basic compatibility. It could also broaden the range of devices available to Apple Home users. These are potential benefits, however; the available reporting does not establish product pricing, release dates or how the devices would compare with existing accessories.
Apple already supports features that go beyond basic Matter compatibility, including Adaptive Lighting and Adaptive Temperature on supported devices. A more coordinated accessory program could give Apple and its partners a way to bring such platform-specific features to additional products. Whether the reported devices will include them is not known.
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Clues From Software and Filings
The Schneider references come from software research and Matter’s Distributed Compliance Ledger, rather than an Apple product announcement. The production thermostat record uses the name “TP” and shares vendor and product identifiers with a device listed as the Schneider Home Smart Thermostat. Another record lists a temperature and humidity sensor. Apple Home reportedly returns placeholder setup images for the thermostat, while its setup configuration includes the phrase “Proximity Settings.” That wording may point to distance or occupancy-related functions, but the source material does not confirm how the feature would work.
The software table’s “second-party” label suggests Apple distinguishes certain accessories in its software, but the exact meaning and any commercial arrangement behind the label have not been disclosed. Schneider’s appearance also comes as the company pursues an acquisition of Shelly Group. Shelly announced an investment agreement supporting Schneider’s proposed takeover on September 24, and its board backed the offer on October 5. Completion is expected in the first quarter of 2027, subject to regulatory approval and a 95% minimum acceptance threshold.
LG already sells connected home products and operates ThinQ ON, a home hub that the company introduced at IFA 2024. LG describes it as Matter-certified, with Wi-Fi and Thread connectivity and support for devices from other manufacturers. The reported Apple collaboration would build on that experience, while potentially giving Apple a more direct role in how selected accessories work with its home platform.
““Welcome home.””
— Apple teaser posted by Greg Joswiak
Products and Features Await Confirmation
Apple has not announced the event’s products, and the teaser does not explicitly mention Apple Home, LG or Schneider Electric. It is not clear whether any accessories described in reporting or software references will be introduced on October 13, released later, or remain in development.
The Schneider thermostat’s “Proximity Settings” wording is suggestive but not proof of a particular occupancy-sensing feature. The unidentified Schneider accessory has not been matched to a consumer product, and the 10 software identifiers should not be treated as 10 separate devices. Pricing, availability, regional support, final product names and the full feature sets of the reported LG devices are also unknown.
October 13 May Clarify Apple’s Plans
Apple’s scheduled announcements on October 13 are the next opportunity to learn whether its “Welcome home” teaser signals a smart home launch. If Apple reveals devices, product details and its partners’ roles may show how the reported hardware fits into Apple Home.
If no accessories are announced, the software identifiers and prior reporting will remain indications of possible work rather than confirmation of a launch. Further details would need to come from Apple, LG, Schneider Electric, product filings or subsequent software releases.
Key Questions
When is Apple’s “Welcome home” event?
Apple has scheduled its next product announcements for October 13. Greg Joswiak posted the teaser on October 8.
Has Apple confirmed new smart home products?
No. Apple has not identified the products or confirmed a smart home focus. The teaser wording and outside reporting point to that possibility, but the lineup remains unconfirmed.
What devices are reportedly being developed with LG?
Bloomberg reporting summarized by Matter Alpha describes seven LG-branded accessories: a doorbell, deadbolt lock, thermostat, temperature sensor, indoor camera, outdoor camera and floodlight camera. Apple is reportedly involved in their design, features and engineering.
What do the Schneider Electric software references show?
Researcher pdfu found four Schneider vendor-ID entries in an Apple software table, including identifiers associated with a thermostat and a temperature and humidity sensor. The references do not confirm that these products will be announced or explain their final features.
Source: rss
