Apple has set October 13 for its next product announcements, sharing a teaser with the message “Welcome home.” Posted by marketing chief Greg Joswiak on Oct. 8, the video shows an embroidered rainbow Apple logo, pointing toward the company’s anticipated smart home launch.
The hardware could arrive with a broader accessory push. Bloomberg earlier reports that Apple is helping LG develop seven home accessories, including a doorbell, lock and thermostat, while findings from iOS 27.2 also point to special integration for Schneider Electric products. Together, they suggest Apple wants more control over the devices around Apple Home with this new release, from setup and everyday controls to features beyond basic Matter support.
Schneider as “second party” provider
Researcher pdfu identified 10 accessory identifiers in a HomeKitMatter table named “_secondPartyProducts”. Six correspond to LG products and variants, while four use Schneider’s vendor ID. The count represents identifiers rather than 10 distinct consumer products.
The Schneider entries cover a thermostat, a thermostat QA variant, a temperature/humidity sensor and an unidentified accessory. According to pdfu, Apple Home returns placeholder setup assets for the thermostat, and its setup configuration mentions “Proximity Settings.” That wording suggests distance and occupancy sensing in Matter for smart climate control and display wake up.
Matter DCL records provide additional evidence. Schneider’s production thermostat record currently uses the name “TP,” with the same vendor and product IDs as “Schneider Home Smart Thermostat.” Another record lists a “Temperature/Humidity Sensor.”
The “second-party” designation suggests Apple is distinguishing selected accessories within its software.
Schneider’s appearance also comes as it moves to acquire Shelly Group, the smart home and building device maker. Shelly announced an investment agreement on Sept. 24 supporting Schneider’s proposed takeover, and its board backed the offer on Oct. 5. Completion is expected in the first quarter of 2027, subject to regulatory clearance and a minimum acceptance threshold of 95%. The acquisition would expand Schneider’s smart home business, adding context to its appearance in Apple’s play.
LG supplies a wider accessory lineup
Bloomberg’s reported LG collaboration covers a wired video doorbell, smart deadbolt lock, thermostat, temperature sensor, indoor camera, outdoor camera and floodlight camera. The accessories would carry LG branding, with Apple participating in design, features and engineering.
Regulatory filings offer an early look at three devices. The round thermostat uses 24-volt AC power and has Bluetooth Low Energy and Thread connectivity. The separate sensor measures temperature and humidity, with magnetic mounting and a replaceable battery. The deadbolt appears in Graphite and Silver versions and runs on four AA batteries.
LG already has experience with delicate Matter accessories. Its Korean catalog lists all kinds of sensors, plugs, and switches, with Matter and Thread support across parts of the range. The line up also quietly grows over recent years, with more variations of programmable buttons and switches and newer Matter specs.
Those products sit alongside ThinQ ON, LG’s home hub with an AI voice assistant and Homey software. Introduced at IFA 2024, the hub is described by LG as Matter-certified with Wi-Fi and Thread connectivity and support for other manufacturers’ devices.
Solution to “chicken-and-egg” dilemma
Apple’s strategy move is practically coordinating between platform software and accessory hardware. A manufacturer can implement a capability that a platform does not yet expose, while a platform can add support before compatible devices are widely available. Joint development and tailored software handling better align those efforts. And it is important, considering the long release and certification cycle from both sides.
IKEA has expanded the affordable end of the Matter market with dozens of compatible products across lighting, sensors and controls, announced in November 2025. Accessories developed more closely around Apple Home could offer alternative premium options.
Eve Thermostat
While Eve, the regular supplier of Apple Home accessories in official stores, has been slow to expand its lineup, with few new products arriving over the years. Its new thermostat, announced in January 2026, adds another category, but leaves room for more choice as Apple’s home ambitions grow. Working more closely with LG and Schneider could help Apple fill those gaps faster and have more say in setup, controls and the everyday experience.
Moves ahead of the standards
Apple already offers features beyond the shared Matter experience, including Adaptive Lighting and Adaptive Temperature. Adaptive Lighting arrived in HomeKit before becoming available on supported Matter lights, while Aqara’s Thermostat Hub W200 supports Apple’s Adaptive Temperature to adjust heating and cooling around whether users are home, asleep or away. These features show how Apple can work with manufacturers to offer more than basic compatibility.
There is a similar example with Thread. Since iOS 18, compatible Thread-equipped iPhones can set up and directly control selected Eve accessories, including smart plugs and light switches, without a home hub. Users can start with an iPhone and an accessory, then add a hub later for remote access and wider automation support.
Eve Energy
Thread Direct, a peer-to-peer connection feature targeted for Thread 2.0, would bring direct links between devices into the newer specification. Apple and some partners including Eve’s support shows that users can benefit from direct control before that work is complete. And it should benefit users years ahead of the wide adoption of a new spec version. And such efforts make the final draft better with more real world validation.
A bigger home push begins October 13
Apple’s “Welcome home” teaser gives its reported home expansion an official date. A home hub with a display, an updated HomePod mini, and a new Apple TV are expected, although Apple has not confirmed the lineup. These products could give Apple Intelligence and Siri more places in the home, alongside controls for connected accessories.
The accessory work could be just as important. A new display or speaker needs useful devices around it, and closer work with manufacturers could help Apple bring new features to locks, sensors and thermostats sooner.
The announcements may come before the accessories reach stores. Bloomberg reports that LG’s products remain at least a few months away, while Schneider’s launch timing is unclear. Final prices, markets and purchase channels have not been announced.
(Source: Bloomberg, pdfu, Connectivity Standards Alliance, Shelly Group, LG Electronics, Aqara, Eve, IKEA; Image: Apple, Matter Alpha/Ward Zhou).
