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Holding an iPhone to the thermostat and directly changing the temperature without first opening the Home app: This is suggested by findings in the iOS 27 code and in the firmware of LG devices being developed for Apple Home. A second finding would fundamentally change the setup process. The accessories could then be paired before they are even powered on.
Behind both findings is the developer pdfu, who published them on X, once regarding proximity-based control and once regarding setup without power. He had already discovered two Schneider devices that carry the same special status as the LG lineup in iOS 27.2. Settings related to proximity had already appeared in the configuration of the Schneider thermostat back then. What lies behind them is now becoming clear. Affected is the device lineup that, according to Bloomberg, LG is developing together with Apple: doorbell, lock, and thermostat, plus a temperature sensor and several cameras.
Key Facts at a Glance
- According to the code, holding the iPhone against a supported accessory opens a suitable control panel: the controls for the thermostat, and the camera image for the camera and doorbell.
- On iPhones with Dynamic Island, the controls appear there; on other iPhones and on the iPad, they appear as a notification for 30 seconds.
- The feature can be deactivated in the Home app after setup.
- According to LG firmware, the iPhone can pair accessories via NFC before it is powered on.
- This type of setup is reserved for HomeKit; the normal Matter pairing remains possible as well.
The control is supposed to work via proximity
The accessory contains an NFC chip and also emits a Bluetooth signal, which the iPhone uses to detect its approach. Tapping the device or holding the iPhone nearby displays a shortcut. What this shortcut opens depends on the device: for thermostats, it leads to the controls; for cameras and doorbells, it leads to the camera image.
Apple's “second-party” LG accessories will debut another Home feature: Proximity Control. As with HomePod, tapping or bringing iPhone near the accessory shows a hint in the Dynamic Island. An “Open Controls” button opens the accessory's controls. Cameras and doorbells show a camera viewer. An iPhone without a Dynamic Island or an iPad will show a 30-second notification instead. You can disable this behavior in the Home app after setup. You'll also see feedback in the Dynamic Island as iPhone launches setup when you first tap the accessory to pair it. Behind the scenes, the accessory writes an “apple-deviceid” in the Matter payload stored on its NFC tag that helps iOS identify it when tapped. It also broadcasts a Bluetooth Low Energy advert for Apple Proximity Control. The feature appears in code since iOS 27.0. In earlier versions, Apple showed three presentation options instead of the on/off toggle in iOS 27.2: • Never: Suppresses proximity controls. • Ask to Launch: Shows Dynamic Island hint or notification, which deep links the control card. • Launch Automatically: Shows control card. In the current implementation, the enabled state is equivalent to Ask to Launch. Home's helper text reads: “Show controls when you bring your iPhone near your [accessory].” The feature is still in active development across beta releases, so the final behavior may change. The Dynamic Island proximity control code in iOS 27.2 was first reported by @aaronp613 and @MacRumors.
— pdfu (@itspdfu) October 9, 2026
On iPhones with Dynamic Island, the abbreviation appears at the top of the display. Developer Aaron Perris had previously discovered this information in the code. iPhones without Dynamic Island and iPads instead display a message that remains for 30 seconds. Even the first tap during setup provides feedback in Dynamic Island.
Three options were selected for the switch
The code for this feature has been in the system since the first version of iOS 27, but it has changed since then. Earlier betas offered three settings in the Home app: never, open after asking, or open automatically. In iOS 27.2, this has become a simple toggle switch. When activated, the feature behaves like the previous version that asked for confirmation.
| Version | Settings in the Home app |
|---|---|
| iOS 27.0 (earlier betas) | Never, Open after confirmation, Open automatically |
| iOS 27.2 | On/Off behaves like "Open after confirmation". |
Since the function has been rebuilt from beta to beta, the behavior may still change before the release.
Set it up before the power flows
The second finding concerns the pairing process. According to the LG firmware, the iPhone can begin setting up an accessory even before it receives power. Using NFC, the iPhone transfers the pairing data and network access credentials to a security chip within the device. Once the accessory receives power, it automatically connects to the Wi-Fi or Thread network, and a control center in the home completes the setup.
According to pdfu, this only works via HomeKit. The LG firmware replaces the Matter function of the security chip with a HomeKit version; the chip used is a model from the Dutch manufacturer NXP. Once the device is powered on, it can still be set up normally via Matter.
Why the furnishing is the more exciting find
I consider the device that doesn't require electricity to be the more interesting of the two discoveries. A lock, a thermostat, or a wired doorbell usually ends up on the wall before anyone thinks about connecting it. If the device can be set up beforehand at the kitchen table, this step is eliminated.
Proximity control, on the other hand, is more of a convenience feature. However, it aligns with what's currently emerging in the HomeKit code: LG and Schneider devices are gaining features that go beyond standard Matter integration. I expect Apple will use this to justify the special status of this device class. According to Bloomberg, however, the LG series is still at least a few months away from market launch.
Would you be more likely to buy a smart home device if it could be paired before installation – or is setup the least of your problems when it comes to smart home technology? Tell us in the comments what you've encountered most recently.
