Apple’s security camera might solve an iPhone mystery

Apple is reportedly working on a smart home camera which is scheduled to enter production in 2026. The smart home camera itself should seamlessly integrate with Apple products using wireless connectivity, which could explain why iPhones now have Thread connectivity.

Thread has always been a big promise of the Matter smart home standard. It is supposed to allow for low-powered wireless connections, without the need for WiFi, and for better integration across different smart home ecosystems. Adoption has been low however because setting up the protocol is complicated, and using WiFi is less so. The latest Matter 1.4 update should combine the two wireless protocols together and stop a bunch of that confusion.

Considering Apple’s connection to the Matter protocol, it isn't a stretch to assume these security cameras will use Thread for the connectivity component. Thread networking was quietly added to the iPhone 15 line up last year and continued to the iPhone 16 range, but it has yet to be put to use.

This could be Apple laying the groundwork for further smart home expansion.

Intermittent rumours have suggested Apple is looking to expand further into the smart home market by making its own accessories. As it stands HomeKit compatible devices are still more expensive, and harder to find than those that work with Alexa and Google Nest. Reviews.org Australia has heard from a variety of manufacturers that integrating smart features with Apple requires more hoop jumping, and for many it hasn’t been worth the effort. While this is pretty on brand for Apple, it would also give Apple branded accessories a major leg up in the market, if they were to eventuate.

For now Apple’s home tech is limited, but more is on the horizon. A new smart display (which I think will be named HomePad) is tipped to go on sale in 2025, and a more advanced version with a robotic arm is rumoured to come around 2027.

According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Goertek - A Chinese acoustic components company who already has contracts in place with Apple - scored the camera production contract and will be churning out “tens of millions” of units annually. Clearly Apple thinks they’re on to a winner here.