12:39Machine-translated from Azerbaijani by AIRead in Azerbaijani
Apple and LG Developing Proximity Controls for Smart Home Devices
Apple and LG are working on a new feature called “Proximity Control” for smart home devices they are developing together. According to leaked information, when an iPhone is brought close to one of these devices, a control button will appear in the Dynamic Island. The feature may work within HomeKit only with the jointly developed products. The devices have not yet been officially unveiled.
When a user taps an iPhone against an accessory or brings it close, a notification will appear on the screen. On thermostats, an “Open Controls” button will open the controls directly. For cameras and doorbells, this button will open the live feed. When initial setup begins, information about the process will also be displayed in the Dynamic Island. For the feature to work, an identification code called “apple-deviceid” is added to the accessory’s NFC tag, the component read when a phone is brought close. This code is stored within the data associated with the Matter smart home standard, allowing iOS to recognize the device being tapped. The accessory also broadcasts a low-energy Bluetooth signal to activate proximity controls. The ability to begin initial pairing without the device receiving power is also being tested. The jointly developed products could include a thermostat, smart door lock, indoor and outdoor security cameras, and a camera with a projector. Users will be able to disable proximity controls in the Home app. Although the feature was discovered in the software code, it may not be included in the final version or may work differently. Therefore, the devices’ features have not yet been confirmed. Apple plans to hold an event called “Welcome home” on October 13 and may unveil the new accessories there. A smart home hub with a display, an updated HomePod mini, and a new Apple TV model are also expected to be unveiled at the event. However, the devices being developed with LG are reportedly not expected to go on sale for at least several months. The proximity feature has appeared in the code since iOS 27.0, and traces of it have also been found in the iOS 27.2 beta.
When a user taps an iPhone against an accessory or brings it close, a notification will appear on the screen. On thermostats, an “Open Controls” button will open the controls directly. For cameras and doorbells, this button will open the live feed. When initial setup begins, information about the process will also be displayed in the Dynamic Island. For the feature to work, an identification code called “apple-deviceid” is added to the accessory’s NFC tag, the component read when a phone is brought close. This code is stored within the data associated with the Matter smart home standard, allowing iOS to recognize the device being tapped. The accessory also broadcasts a low-energy Bluetooth signal to activate proximity controls. The ability to begin initial pairing without the device receiving power is also being tested. The jointly developed products could include a thermostat, smart door lock, indoor and outdoor security cameras, and a camera with a projector. Users will be able to disable proximity controls in the Home app. Although the feature was discovered in the software code, it may not be included in the final version or may work differently. Therefore, the devices’ features have not yet been confirmed. Apple plans to hold an event called “Welcome home” on October 13 and may unveil the new accessories there. A smart home hub with a display, an updated HomePod mini, and a new Apple TV model are also expected to be unveiled at the event. However, the devices being developed with LG are reportedly not expected to go on sale for at least several months. The proximity feature has appeared in the code since iOS 27.0, and traces of it have also been found in the iOS 27.2 beta.