Report: Apple, LG Collaborating on new smart home devices
Mark Gurman reports for Bloomberg this week Apple is working with LG to co-develop a range of smart home devices.
“The products will be part of an ecosystem of devices that work with Apple’s new smart home hub, as well as an upgraded HomePod mini and fresh TV set-top box, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The new Apple devices are set to be introduced on Oct. 13,” Gurman wrote on Tuesday. “The products developed with South Korea’s LG will also include a smart deadbolt lock, indoor security camera, outdoor security camera and floodlight camera, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the undertaking is private.”
Gurman adds the arrangement “gives Apple a way to quickly expand its ecosystem without shouldering the full cost and complexity of producing and supporting a wide range of accessories” while allowing the company to “help shape the products’ design, tailor their features and oversee engineering while keeping the work largely under wraps.”
I’m of two minds about this news. On one side, it’s good to see Apple push further into the smart home, and it makes sense strategically to get together with a third-party to shoulder some of the developmental load. I’m curious to know the industrial design of these products, and software-wise, what accessibility features are deemed important for, say, the smart lock. As to LG, I’m a fan of their products in general. I have a 77” C3 OLED television in my living room, of course, but I also just put in a new suite of LG appliances in my kitchen. The dishwasher in particular has been terrific thus far because not only is the top control panel clear and crisp to read, the tub lighting and floor light are de-facto accessibility features for me. I chose this model primarily for these ostensible luxuries, as I consider the tub illumination to be task lighting, while the floor light pulses while the dishwasher is running and goes solid when finished. The door also pops open automatically to activate the steam-drying function. Taken together, these features add up to a more accessible—and yes, enjoyable—user experience for someone with visual disabilities. (See also: the light-up knobs on my new range, which make knowing when the stove is on more accessible when I’m using it.)
On the other side, none of these things, including the long-rumored home hub, feel particularly pertinent to my life now. My new building has tight security, replete with a 24/7 concierge desk, and (unverified) visitors must be let into the elevator to reach the residences. Ergo, the security cameras are superfluous. Likewise with the door lock, if only because swapping the existing, standardized hardware necessitates an architectural review by the homeowners’ association for approval and it’s a pain in the ass. At the very least, I’d personally prefer to engage with the building’s bureaucracy as little as possible. Regarding the smart display, it makes sense for Apple to stream video feeds from the aforementioned cameras—but again, they have no practical use here. And as someone who’s still acclimating to living alone for the first time in my life, I wonder what I could use the smart display for if not for monitoring video feeds or a doorbell. My old house in San Francisco? Sure! In a Portland high-rise, however, I’m dubious of its actual utility to me. Nonetheless, it’ll be interesting to see what accessibility features are part of this new “homeOS” platform of Apple’s.
