Apple pitched its new Home Collection on October 13 as accessories managed entirely in the Home app, with “no separate app or account required.” LG Electronics, which makes seven of the products priced from $39.95 to $399.95 (U.S.), says in its own release that the lineup arrives starting in December “with support for Apple Home and LG ThinQ apps.”
That one line is the clearest difference between the two companies’ announcements. It does not contradict Apple; it adds an option Apple’s material leaves out.
What LG’s release says
LG’s announcement describes the U.S. and Canadian launch this way: “Starting in December, with select accessories coming early next year, LG and Apple are launching the full lineup in the United States and Canada, including indoor and outdoor cameras, a video doorbell, a smart lock, a thermostat and a temperature sensor with support for Apple Home and LG ThinQ apps.”
Don’t miss the best of The Mac Observer
Set us as a preferred source and our Apple reporting ranks higher in your Google Search results and Discover feed — one tap, no account changes.
A footnote attached to that sentence sets the conditions. “Use of the new IoT products requires an Apple home hub, like HomePod, HomePod mini, Apple TV 4K or Apple HomeView,” LG writes. “The new IoT products, the LG ThinQ, and the Apple Home require a Wi-Fi connection. Available services, features and compatibility may vary depending on product model, region and country.”
So by LG’s own terms, an Apple home hub is required for these products whether or not you also use ThinQ.
What Apple says
Apple’s press release repeats the single-app point twice. The accessories are “simple to set up starting with one tap with iPhone,” and “everything is managed through the Apple Home app,” with “no separate app or account required.” Later, Apple says each accessory is added to Apple Home “similar to setting up HomePod,” with “no additional app to download and no separate account to create.”
Read together, the message is that ThinQ is optional. You can buy an LG doorbell or thermostat from the Apple Store, tap it with your iPhone, and never open LG’s app.
The seven LG accessories and where they ship
Apple’s press release lists these U.S. starting prices and regions:
| LG accessory | Price (U.S.) | Countries |
|---|---|---|
| Video Doorbell Wired | $249.95 | U.S., Canada, UK |
| Floodlight Cam | $399.95 | U.S., Canada, UK |
| Outdoor Cam Plug-In | $299.95 | U.S., Canada, UK |
| Indoor Cam Plug-In | $199.95 | U.S., Canada, UK |
| Smart Deadbolt Lock | $349.95 | U.S., Canada |
| Smart Thermostat | $199.95 | U.S., Canada |
| Temperature Sensor | $39.95 | U.S., Canada |
LG’s release adds that “In the United Kingdom, indoor and outdoor cameras and a video doorbell will be available starting December.”
Camera features LG highlights
LG’s description of the cameras includes two privacy and storage points worth noting. “Users can also block selected areas from view and recording, while built-in local storage provides greater control over how recorded footage is stored and reviewed,” the release says.
Apple’s store listings describe related features in their own words: “Customizable detection zones help focus monitoring on selected areas while reducing unnecessary alerts,” and “Built-in storage keeps cameras recording even if Wi-Fi goes down.” LG’s wording goes further, describing areas blocked from both view and recording, not only from alerts. For the camera lineup and its storage plans, see our Home Collection cameras story.
What the privacy promises cover
Both companies use near-identical language on privacy, and both scope it to the Home app. Apple’s press release says “Camera footage and personal data in the Home app are stored end-to-end encrypted and never accessible to LG Electronics, Schneider Electric, or Apple.” LG’s release says “Camera footage and personal data in the Home app is stored end-to-end encrypted and never accessible to LG or Apple.”
Apple’s store pages for the LG cameras say the same: “Your data is private and secure in Home app, and stored in a way that Apple or LG Electronics can’t read it.”
Neither release explains what the ThinQ app can control on these accessories or how ThinQ handles their data, so anyone planning to use it should read LG’s terms when the products ship.
What this means for you
- If your home runs on Apple devices, nothing changes. Setup starts with one tap on iPhone, and the Home app and Siri handle control.
- If you already use LG ThinQ, LG says these accessories support it too, subject to model, region, and country.
- Either way, you need an Apple home hub such as HomePod, HomePod mini, Apple TV 4K, or Apple HomeView, plus Wi-Fi.
Apple’s full announcement is in its Apple Home Collection press release, and LG’s is on the LG Global Newsroom.
