Apple is preparing to expand its presence in the smart home market, with the company set to unveil a new range of devices at an event in New York City next week.
Apple has announced an event for October 13 titled “Welcome Home”.
The event is expected to feature a new smart home hub with a screen, an updated HomePod mini, and a refreshed Apple TV set-top box, said a Bloomberg News report.
Apple could also introduce smart home products developed with LG Electronics, including a doorbell, cameras, a smart lock and a thermostat.
The expansion comes as Apple looks to revive its HomeKit smart home platform while using its Siri AI assistant to strengthen its ecosystem.
At the same time, analysts remain focused on the potential for artificial intelligence to drive device upgrades and services revenue.
Apple stock AAPL gained 0.75% on Thursday.
Apple and LG prepare wider smart home ecosystem
The products developed with LG will carry the South Korean company’s brand, with LG handling manufacturing and product support.
The lineup is expected to include the LG Video Doorbell Wired, Floodlight Cam, Outdoor Cam Plug-In, Indoor Cam Plug-In, Smart Deadbolt Lock, Smart Thermostat and Temperature Sensor.
The products are not expected to reach consumers for at least several months, as development has lagged behind Apple’s own devices.
LG has recently sought regulatory approvals for the products, including filings with the US Federal Communications Commission and UL Solutions.
The filings include product names, specifications, and other details, while LG has requested confidentiality for photographs and more precise information until early next year.
Many of the devices support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, as well as Thread and Matter, smart home protocols used by Apple and other technology companies.
The smart lock also supports ultra-wideband technology, which can enable automatic unlocking when users approach a door.
The planned ecosystem would place Apple and LG in closer competition with established smart home offerings from Amazon’s Ring and Alphabet’s Google Nest.
Apple seeks to revive HomeKit with AI
Apple launched HomeKit in 2014, but the platform has gained less traction than competing smart home ecosystems from Amazon and Google.
The new devices are part of a broader effort to reboot Apple’s smart home strategy.
Apple is also planning additional products, including a privacy-focused home monitoring device, a smart home hub with a screen attached to a robotic arm, and an in-home security monitoring service.
The company is expected to use Siri and AI as part of this strategy.
The push also comes as Apple explores ways to integrate AI across its broader product ecosystem.
Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush, said Apple’s AI strategy could add about $75 per share to the company’s valuation as AI helps drive device upgrades and increase services revenue.
“Apple is moving into a new stage of its ecosystem story,” Ives said, adding that AI could eventually account for more than 15% of Services revenue.
Ives has an Outperform rating on Apple with a $400 price target.
He expects the iPhone 18 upgrade cycle to support the company over the next several quarters, noting that about 375 million iPhones have not been upgraded in more than four years.
He also expects Apple’s foldable iPhone Duo to generate additional demand, estimating sales of about 10 million units over the next few quarters.
Citi remains bullish ahead of Apple earnings
Citi has also reiterated its Buy rating on Apple ahead of the company’s earnings expected in early November.
The bank said investor attention this quarter is likely to centre on Services growth momentum, alongside continued weakness in App Store revenue and concerns about the potential impact of agentic AI.
Citi also pointed to gross margin pressure from higher memory costs, partly offset by higher average selling prices, as well as iPhone sales seasonality following the lack of a base-model launch this autumn.
The combination of the smart home expansion, AI strategy, and upcoming iPhone upgrade cycle gives investors several areas to watch as Apple approaches its next earnings report.
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