An Apple supplier may have been selected to manufacture Apple-designed smart home cameras and future health-focused AirPods, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Apple is rumored to be investing more in smart homes and artificial intelligence after it abandoned its decade-old Apple Car project. While Apple Intelligence has been released to the public, aside from rumors of smart monitors, there's little evidence that Apple will make a new commitment to the smart home.
New rumors from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo based on the supply chain indicate that Apple supplier Goertek has received orders for two products in 2026. The first product is a smart home camera, and the second product is a set of AirPods that pay more attention to health functions.
Apple had previously relied on Goertek for assembly, but compliance issues led the company to withdraw orders. Ming-Chi Kuo pointed out that the relationship between the two parties will normalize in the second half of 2024, which will lead to the emergence of new product orders.
Since the launch of HomeKit in 2014, Apple has stayed behind the scenes and only provided APIs and protocols for smart homes. The products closest to the smart home category are HomePod, HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K.
There were previous rumors that Apple might develop its own smart home products, such as light bulbs, but those rumors never materialized. Since the launch of HomeKit, Apple has even given up on developing its own routers, which seems to indicate that Apple wants to rely on third-party hardware.
In 2026, Apple-made smart home cameras could change that. It's unclear what Apple can offer that existing HomeKit security video cameras can do, especially considering that HomeKit has taken over third-party cameras.
Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Apple views IP cameras as its main target for future growth. The total market for these cameras is about 30 million to 40 million units per year, and Apple is targeting shipments of about 10 million units.
The launch of smart cameras is scheduled for 2026, coinciding with expectations for widespread adoption of Matter-enabled cameras. Additionally, Apple is expected to enter more smart home accessories markets over time.
Another growth opportunity for Apple is wearables, and that's where AirPods come in. Goertek has apparently been named as a key supplier of future health-focused AirPods.
The iPhone is still Apple's most profitable product, and other products are likely to be unable to compare with it. As a result, Apple hopes to keep investors happy by selling a wider range of devices and capturing a smaller but still profitable market.