The hope maybe also to get everyone’s nose out of their own devices.

In that sense, some of it is playing catch up, or rounding out the ecosystem… but it’s an area I think most people don’t care about. People are disillusioned with smart devices that don’t add much utility, but cost more, break more, and spy on them. On top of that, most of this smart home stuff seems really finicky. A light switch just works, every time. With this new LG stuff solve that… I doubt it. Do people trust LG after the video on their TV’s recording everything said around them? I doubt it even more.

I think all these companies want the smart home to become a thing, because it would mean a nearly endless supply of new products to sell people. Until Apple starts making the actual security cameras, a home server to store the videos, door bells, plugs, etc… this space still feels more like a hobby for them.

Exactly, that's why they never made music players or cellphones...

A solved problem doesn't mean it's solved within their ecosystem and making them money. You can go out and buy a Google or Amazon device to do many (or even all) of the same functions, but that's not making Apple money, and they rarely integrate well with Apple's other devices and accounts. This isn't confusing.

On the other side, we all have to admit that solving this problem in the Apple ecosystem has significant benefits for the user: 1- Useful for Apple users, obviously 2- The most important, a close system with soft and hard integration could make things work much better and improve Google and Amazon propositions.

And... ok make more money for Apple. But it will be fare if Apple is more useful for the user.

They like to follow a lot.. it’s easier to let others find out what works and what doesn’t first.