An entirely new category of "second-party" Apple Home accessories could be on the way with LG and Schneider as the starting partners.

A rumor of an unusual partnership between LG and Apple surfaced Tuesday with multiple leaks showing images of said products on Wednesday. Additional information has surfaced that suggests this is a partnership beyond just LG.

According to a post from code sleuth pdfu, a "second-party" partnership table shows ten individual products from both LG and Schneider. These products get special features like NFC pairing and an animation during setup.

Given the nature of the leak and the presence of the information in a second-party database, there is a chance this means Apple has multiple partners making accessories. Second party implies that they're made with special connections to Apple Home, but not made directly by Apple.

Here are the LG accessories in the second-party product table so far:

  • Smart Thermostat: 4142/8864
  • GEMS Smart Thermostat: 4142/12273
  • Smart Deadbolt Lock: 4142/8896
  • GEMS Smart DoorLock: 4142/12274
  • Temperature/Humidity Sensor: 4142/8192
  • GEMS Smart Remote T/H Sensor: 4142/12272

Here are the Schneider accessories:

  • Thermostat TP: 4190/17645
  • Thermostat QA variant: 4190/17644
  • Temperature/Humidity Sensor: 4190/17647
  • Unidentified accessory, perhaps a Sensor QA variant: 4190/17648

While the existence of a second brand doesn't indicate anything just yet, it does hint at a larger initiative Apple could announce during its Apple Home-focused October 13 event. Rumors suggest LG's accessories won't be available until early 2027, so this is just the start of a larger partnership.

When HomeKit first launched, it needed special hardware to be compatible with Apple's smart home. That was later changed to a software requirement added via code, then further refined thanks to adopting Thread and Matter.

The second-party program is likely a new elevated accessory built with Apple Home in mind. Unlike some accessories that are in Apple Home because of simply supporting Matter, these accessories would be built with Apple Home and its features in mind.

Given the code is appearing in current betas, it is likely Apple will reveal the initiative during its hardware event. An Apple TV 4K update, new HomePod mini, and the Home Hub tablet are all expected for the October 13 announcement as well.