[E-Daily Reporter SOYEON KIM ] LGELECTRONICS and Apple are joining forces in the smart home sector. The two companies have agreed to jointly develop devices designed to enhance smart home security and convenience. This move appears to be a strategic effort by LGELECTRONICS to expand its customer base for home appliances by leveraging Apple’s loyal user base, while Apple aims to rapidly expand its previously relatively weak smart home ecosystem by capitalizing on LGELECTRONICS’ manufacturing and home appliance expertise.

According to Bloomberg and other sources on the 7th, Apple and LGELECTRONICS have jointly developed approximately seven key smart home devices, including video doorbells, smart door locks, security cameras, and smart temperature sensors and thermostats.

The products are scheduled to be manufactured and launched under the LGELECTRONICS brand. LGELECTRONICS will handle manufacturing, sales, and customer support (after-sales service), while Apple will contribute to product design direction, core features, and software integration requirements. The two companies will also jointly oversee the engineering design.

This collaboration is seen as the result of aligned interests between the two companies, each seeking to complement the other’s weaknesses as the arena of artificial intelligence (AI) competition expands beyond smartphones to the “home.” For Apple in particular, this is significant as it allows the company to fill a “hardware gap” in the smart home market. SamsungElectronics has already built an ecosystem centered on the Galaxy, encompassing SmartThings, TVs, home appliances, and smart home devices. In contrast, Apple has had a relatively weak presence in the smart home market compared to Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home.

The Apple ecosystem also presents a new opportunity for LGELECTRONICS. If LG smart home devices integrate with Apple’s new smart home hub, the touchpoints between consumers using iPhones, Apple TV, and HomePods and LG home appliances could naturally expand. This means LGELECTRONICS can expect its smart home ecosystem to extend from smart door locks and video doorbells to its existing flagship appliances, such as TVs, air conditioners, refrigerators, and washing machines.

In particular, there is potential for LGELECTRONICS to expand its home appliance market presence, especially in North America, which is Apple’s core market. LGELECTRONICS recorded sales of 22.9352 trillion won in the Americas in 2025. This accounts for approximately 25.7% of its total revenue. Sales in the Americas—which stood at 21.4949 trillion won in 2023 and 22.8959 trillion won in 2024—have consistently accounted for about a quarter of total revenue, solidifying the region’s position as a core market for LGELECTRONICS.

Signs of preparations for product launches are also emerging. LGELECTRONICS recently applied for regulatory approval for related devices with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the product certification body UL Solutions. The “LG Smart Deadbolt Lock” was registered with the FCC on the 23rd of last month, while certifications for the “LG Wired Video Doorbell,” indoor and outdoor security cameras, and floodlight cameras were spotted at UL Solutions. The smart door lock is also equipped with an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) feature that automatically unlocks when a user approaches. However, the documents submitted to regulatory agencies did not explicitly mention any collaboration with Apple.

Shim Woo-joong, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade, said, “From LGELECTRONICS’ perspective, this can be seen as a strategy to enter the local smart home device market by leveraging Apple’s iPhone platform, which has strong brand competitiveness in the U.S. market.” He added, “Since Apple has not been very active in the smart home business so far, it appears that through this collaboration, the company aims to gain experience in commercializing related products.”