Apple expands connected-home portfolio with Home Collection
Apple introduces Home Collection accessories
Apple has unveiled its Apple Home Collection, a connected-home line due to become available in December. The range includes a smart deadbolt lock, wired video doorbell, thermostat, temperature sensor, indoor and outdoor security cameras, and a floodlight camera.
The products are designed to work with HomeView, Apple’s new smart-home hub for controlling connected accessories and interacting with the company’s software. Apple said the devices were built in partnership with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric, a notable departure from its long-standing preference to build and support smart-home accessories itself.
The flagship smart lock is priced at $349.95 and supports ultra-wideband, or UWB. Apple says the wireless technology offers more precise proximity detection than traditional Bluetooth. That could enable the lock to recognise an authorised user approaching and unlock automatically, reducing the need for a phone or physical key.
Doorbells, cameras and room monitoring
Apple’s $249.95 wired video doorbell is intended to let homeowners view visitors, monitor activity outside the property and receive approach notifications. When a visitor rings, a chime can play through HomeView, HomePod and HomePod mini, while notifications are sent to iPhone and iPad devices.
The temperature sensor is designed to show conditions in individual rooms, helping users identify differences between areas and make adjustments. Apple is also adding indoor and outdoor cameras. Its $399.95 floodlight camera combines exterior lighting with video monitoring.
The camera range includes live viewing, motion detection, intelligent alerts and video storage. Those features position the collection in the connected security market alongside established Amazon Ring and Google Nest product lines.
HomeView becomes the control point
Apple’s new accessories depend on the role of Apple HomeView hub with Siri and A18 chip as the central point for controlling connected devices and interacting with Apple software. The combination of locks, entry monitoring, environmental sensing and cameras gives the hub a broader set of accessories to manage.
For organisations evaluating connected-property technology, the practical implication is to compare access-control workflows, alert handling, video-storage needs and device-management requirements before standardising on a smart-home platform.