Apple’s LG smart lock and thermostat leak, and HomeKit fans already don’t trust them

Apple’s LG-made smart home accessories have had their first proper look, and the people most likely to buy them are not impressed. A leaker known as pdfu posted setup images of an LG Smart Deadbolt Lock, LG Smart Thermostat and LG Temperature Sensor to Reddit’s r/HomeKit community, and most of the hundreds of replies focus on one word on the box: LG.

The images follow Bloomberg’s report that Apple has been co-developing a doorbell, lock and thermostat with LG for its smart home relaunch. According to pdfu, they are the assets Apple’s Home app requests when you set up each accessory for the first time, the same kind of animation you see when pairing a HomePod.

What the leak shows

The lock gets the most detail. Its keypad rotates to open, and an included swivel pin lets you stop it turning on one side so it doesn’t hit a wall. Settings cover the touchpad’s light ring, a “Door Left” audio alarm and lock sound volume. Per pdfu, it supports automatic unlocking, tap to unlock, emergency power and master codes, ships with two mechanical keys and fits 2.375in (60.3mm) and 2.75in (69.9mm) brackets.

The thermostat’s settings include a “Far Sight Display” mode, a humidity readout, brightness, language and a temperature offset for calibration. The temperature sensor is the plain white disc that drew most of the jokes. It reads temperature and humidity, sticks to metal surfaces with a magnetic back, comes with an adhesive metal plate for everything else, and has a replaceable battery with low-battery alerts.

LG’s own FCC paperwork fills in the hardware, as MacRumors found in the filings. None of them mention Apple; its involvement rests on Bloomberg’s reporting.

The lock’s FCC order explains how hands-free entry works: it checks a device’s credentials over Bluetooth, then uses UWB to work out where that device is before it unlocks. The thermostat’s 60GHz radar could handle presence or approach detection, though LG hasn’t said what it does.

Why r/HomeKit isn’t buying it

The timing is poor for LG. A month ago, a Gamers Nexus investigation claimed LG TVs log data and record audio in standby, even when offline. LG denied the recording claims while confirming its TVs scan home networks, and that half-denial is what HomeKit users remember. Comments such as “LG, pass!” and “Does it come with free spying?” sit near the top of the thread.

A more useful argument followed about whether it matters. Some users argued that Matter-over-Thread devices can’t phone home the way a Wi-Fi TV can. Others pointed out that Thread runs on routed IPv6, so a Thread device can still reach the internet unless you block it at the firewall. The FCC filings settle part of this: the lock and sensor list no Wi-Fi radio at all, while the thermostat does.

Then there’s the question of how much Apple did. “I think ‘co-developed’ is doing an extreme amount of heavy lifting,” one commenter wrote, and pdfu’s 360-degree renders show an LG logo on top of the thermostat and sensor. Several users compared it to the LG UltraFine 4K and 5K monitors Apple sold for Macs: LG hardware, Apple’s blessing, Apple Store shelf space.

Owners of existing gear raised practical complaints. The lock has no fingerprint reader, which several users called a deal-breaker, and nothing in the leak confirms Apple Home Key support, even though the UWB unlock implies it. Aqara, Schlage and Ecobee came up repeatedly as brands already doing native HomeKit well, with some users saying they would stick with what they have.

The other camp is smaller but real. One user said they’d consider the range if it delivers a seamless Apple experience, after years of spending time and money on “HomeKit compatible” gear that isn’t.

When they arrive, and the UAE question

Apple is expected to announce its smart home hub, a new Apple TV and an updated HomePod mini on 13 October, as we covered in our October launch preview. Per Bloomberg, the LG accessories won’t be ready for a few more months, and LG has asked the FCC to keep photos and detailed specifications confidential until early next year.

Neither company has mentioned the Middle East. The filings also point at the US market: 2.375in and 2.75in are standard US deadbolt backsets, and 24V AC is the usual supply for North American HVAC thermostats. Many UAE homes use European-style mortice locks and ducted or split AC controls, so whether these fit here is an open question until LG publishes regional specs.