Apple might be working on a smart doorbell

There’s been a lot of reporting in recent months around Apple’s efforts to expand its footprint in customers’ homes with in-development products like a wall-mounted smart home hub. According to a new report in Bloomberg, that strategy could also include a smart doorbell.

This doorbell would use Apple’s Face ID technology to scan people’s faces as they approach the door, then connect wirelessly to a dead bolt that will automatically unlock for residents of the home.

The doorbell is reportedly in the early stages of development and wouldn’t come to market before the end of 2025 at the earliest. It might work with third-party locks that are compatible with Apple’s HomeKit, or Apple might launch with a specific lock maker.

Bloomberg notes that while a smart doorbell with Face ID would allow Apple to compete with products like Amazon Ring, it would also make the brand vulnerable to new risks, particularly if the system was blamed for home break-ins.