Leaked findings from the leaker known as “pdfu” describe two headline features for an upcoming range of LG-branded smart home accessories said to have been co-developed with Apple: an iPhone “Proximity Control” interaction that surfaces controls when a device is tapped or brought near an accessory, and a HomeKit-only NFC setup method that allows pairing to begin while an accessory is unpowered.
The accessories reportedly include a thermostat, temperature sensor, deadbolt lock, wired video doorbell and several security cameras. One Proximity Control behavior will show an “Open Controls” shortcut in the Dynamic Island when an iPhone is tapped against or held close to products such as thermostats; cameras and doorbells will display a camera viewer instead. On iPads and iPhones without a Dynamic Island, the same interaction will appear as a notification that remains visible for 30 seconds. A setting in the Home app will let users disable proximity controls after setup.
How Proximity Control works
Pdfu says the feature has been present in iOS code since iOS 27.0 and that its settings evolved during development. Earlier builds offered three presentation options—Never, Ask to Launch (which shows a Dynamic Island hint or notification that deep-links the control card), and Launch Automatically—but the enabled state in iOS 27.2 currently behaves like Ask to Launch. Tapping an accessory for the first time will also produce Dynamic Island feedback as setup begins.
Under the hood, the accessories will use an identifier stored on an NFC tag (written as an “apple-deviceid” in the Matter payload) alongside a Bluetooth Low Energy advertisement to support recognition and proximity interactions. Pdfu reports that iOS detects the NFC-stored identifier and the BLE advert to enable Apple Proximity Control.
Tap-to-setup before power (HomeKit-only)
A separate post from pdfu describes an NFC-based pairing method that starts while an accessory is still unpowered. In that flow, an iPhone transfers its pairing identity and network credentials into the accessory’s secure element over NFC. When the accessory later receives power, it joins Wi‑Fi or Thread and a home hub completes the Matter setup.
Firmware examined by the leaker identifies an NXP SE051H secure element in the LG lock and thermostat; according to pdfu, LG’s firmware replaces the secure element’s standard Matter NFC applet with a HomeKit applet. That suggests the “tap to set up without power” provisioning will be exclusive to HomeKit, even though iOS 27 also supports standard Matter NFC commissioning. Conventional Matter pairing will still be available after the accessories are powered on.
Availability and development status
Pdfu notes Proximity Control is still being revised across beta releases, so its final behavior may change before shipping. Apple announced a “Welcome home” event for Tuesday, October 13, where a home hub, an updated Apple TV 4K and a refreshed HomePod mini are expected; the accessories could be previewed there, though reports indicate their release remains at least a few months away.
Pdfu published the proximity control details on October 9, 2026 and the NFC setup details on October 8, 2026.
