The thermostat launch includes one thermostat from Schneider Electric and another from LG.

While offered by competing manufacturers, the devices have essentially identical advertised smart-home capabilities. Both rely heavily on Apple's Home platform for their intelligence. Both feature minimalist displays, bringing Apple’s sleek design into living rooms with little on-screen text except the temperature reading.

The differences appear to be primarily in hardware design and HVAC compatibility. LG's thermostat features a circular design with a 2.4-inch display and is advertised as compatible with conventional furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, boilers, fan coil units, and accessories such as humidifiers and dehumidifiers. Schneider Electric's model features an LCD display and is designed for most standard 24V residential HVAC systems.

Apple has not detailed whether the two products differ in their support for multistage equipment, dual-fuel systems, or communicating HVAC controls.

One of the new thermostats’ central features is Adaptive Temperature, which works with the user’s iPhone to determine how and when to adjust heating and cooling.

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“Using on-device intelligence from iPhone, Adaptive Temperature in the Home app automatically adjusts the thermostats based on whether someone is at home, winding down at night, or away, ensuring the home is always at the right temperature without any manual scheduling,” Apple said in its announcement.

Both thermostats can also receive temperature and humidity readings from multiple rooms through new standalone sensors developed by LG and Schneider Electric, as well as sensors already incorporated into Apple's HomeView, HomePod, and HomePod mini devices.

Apple says the devices work with a broad range of HVAC systems. They feature on-device wire detection to simplify setup and are designed for DIY-friendly installation. Setup begins with a tap of an iPhone, which adds the thermostat to the Apple Home app without requiring a separate app or user account.

Both the LG and Schneider Electric thermostats are compatible with Matter, the universal smart home connectivity standard supported by tech companies like Google, Amazon, and Samsung. The thermostats also support Thread connectivity, which Apple says helps devices maintain connectivity even if a Wi-Fi connection drops. If a homeowner changes their Wi-Fi network, the accessories automatically update their network credentials, eliminating what Apple called “a common smart home frustration.”

Beyond automated scheduling, the thermostats offer features intended to help homeowners manage heating and cooling energy consumption, which accounts for about 40% of a home’s total energy usage.

Apple's Clean Energy Guidance feature can shift heating and cooling operation to periods when electricity is cleaner and less expensive. The feature is available in the contiguous United States for customers with compatible utility plans.

The Apple Home app also provides energy usage insights over time, including information about peak and off-peak electricity rates.

“Your electricity rate plan information is also incorporated if you’ve connected your utility account in the Home app,” the product information page adds.

The feature could become more significant as utilities increasingly adopt time-of-use rates, which charge customers different prices for electricity depending on when it is consumed.

The thermostats are part of a broader Apple Home Collection designed to connect climate control with other household systems. Along with home climate, Apple’s product launch also includes:

• Home monitoring: LG’s lineup of four cameras recognizes familiar people, pets, vehicles, and packages, and stores video history in users’ supported iCloud+ plan, with no separate camera subscription.
• Home access: Door locks can operate alongside climate controls, locking when the last occupant leaves and unlocking as someone approaches home.
• Automated scenes: Homeowners can create routines that coordinate multiple devices. For example, a "Good Morning" scene can adjust the thermostat, reposition a camera, and start music.

The accessories are deliberately designed to work together, Apple said, and can all be controlled with Siri. They can also respond to household activity and prepare the home accordingly.

“Using on-device intelligence from iPhone or Apple Watch, users can set up Apple Home to recognize key moments throughout the day: As the last user leaves for work, the thermostat adjusts for an empty home, the door locks, and cameras begin monitoring again,” Apple said. “Before they arrive home, the thermostat begins adjusting the temperature, and the front door unlocks automatically as they approach.”

Product availability begins in December, with some accessories available starting early 2027, Apple’s release stated.