If you are still wondering what Apple HomeView is for beyond watching cooking tutorials or using FaceTime while cooking, well, it has an extended mission: working with the newly announced Apple Home Collection. The Apple Home Collection is a new lineup of smart home accessories developed in collaboration with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric that includes smart cameras, thermostats, as well as a door lock.
And there’s a welcome detail before we even get to the hardware: you won’t need to download another app or create another account for each device. Everything is managed through Apple Home. A smart home should not require a folder full of apps just to explain what is happening at your front door.
The Doorbell Looks at Your Visitor—and Their Delivery
LG’s Video Doorbell Wired has two cameras: a 2.5K front camera for visitors and a Full HD downward-facing camera for packages. It starts at US$249.95.
That second view makes sense. A delivery notification accompanied by a lovely shot of the courier’s torso doesn’t necessarily tell you where your parcel ended up.
For wider coverage, LG offers a US$399.95 Floodlight Cam with motion-activated dual lights and color night vision, plus a US$299.95 Outdoor Cam Plug-In with color night vision and adjustable positioning.
An Indoor Camera That Knows When to Look Away
The US$199.95 LG Indoor Cam Plug-In tilts down to stop monitoring when the first household member returns home.
This might be the most likable feature of the collection. Having a camera to check on the house is useful. Having it continue staring at you after you get home is a little less welcoming. LG’s solution makes its intentions visible without asking you to trust a tiny status light.
Your Front Door Can Recognize the Approach
The US$349.95 LG Smart Deadbolt Lock uses Ultra Wideband (UWB) to unlock as someone approaches with a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch. Tap-to-unlock, a PIN pad, and a concealed backup key slot provide alternatives.
There’s something appealing about arriving with grocery bags hanging from every available finger and having the door cooperate for once. You still have to get everything into the refrigerator yourself. Apple hasn’t announced an accessory for that particular chore.
The Thermostat Gets Some Help
LG and Schneider Home each offer a US$199.95 smart thermostat, with optional room sensors starting at US$39.95. Adaptive Temperature adjusts heating and cooling around household routines. You know, the usual stuff.
It is a practical addition, even if climate control is unlikely to inspire the same excitement as a door that unlocks for you. Coming home to a comfortable room tends to make a stronger argument than looking at a thermostat in a product photo.
When You Can Start Equipping the House
The collection begins arriving in December 2026, with selected accessories following in early 2027. Cameras launch in the U.S., Canada, and the UK; the lock and climate products initially cover the U.S. and Canada. Not surprisingly, camera event history requires iCloud+, while compatible home hubs are required for camera features. The HomeView is one option.
HomeView gives you the screen. The collection supplies the things worth putting on it. Though, granted, checking whether your package arrived is probably going to win over admiring the temperature setting most days. I would say it will even win over FaceTiming with anyone while whipping up an instant noodle meal with sunny side up.
Images: Apple.