Apple is in the early stages of developing a smart home doorbell and lock system with Face ID, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the doorbell would wirelessly connect to a compatible deadbolt lock, allowing users to automatically unlock a door with Face ID. The doorbell would likely work with third-party HomeKit locks, but Apple could also partner with another brand to offer an all-in-one solution, he said.
Apple's doorbell would compete with Amazon's line of Ring doorbells, but Gurman did not say if Apple's solution would capture video.
Apple would almost certainly tout the privacy and security benefits of its own smart home doorbell. If the product is ever released, Gurman expects that it will be equipped with Apple's rumored Wi-Fi chip, which is said to have a Secure Enclave to protect user data. And if the doorbell does end up offering video capture, Apple already has a HomeKit Secure Video service with end-to-end encryption for storing footage in iCloud.
Gurman believes Apple's doorbell is unlikely to launch until 2026 at the earliest.
Apple seemingly has plans to make a bigger push into the smart home space over the next few years. In addition to this doorbell, the company is expected to launch a smart home hub next year, and it is also rumored to be planning its own HomeKit-enabled indoor security camera that would compete with products like Logitech's Circle View.
