Apple is allegedly developing a smart home doorbell and lock with Face ID, with a new rumor suggesting that the accessory might also feature MagSafe.
Back in December 2024, Mark Gurman reported on Bloomberg that the Cupertino tech giant will take on Amazon’s Ring with its own smart home lock that would connect to a deadbolt lock wirelessly and let you unlock a door with Face ID.
A new rumor by leaker Kosutami on X casts more light on the rumored project, alleging that the accessory will use MagSafe, but stopped short of saying whether MagSafe would be used to wirelessly charge a built-in battery.
Apple’s smart door lock may use MagSafe and Face ID
Most smart door locks with a built-in battery must be charged a few times per year, and some have a USB port for charging. There are also smart door locks that have removable batteries.
As for Face ID, Gurman didn’t specify how it might work. Presumably, the device will have a built-in TrueDepth camera to scan the user’s unique facial characteristics in 3D. In that case, there should be some Face ID-like enrollment process for owners to store their facial data. And if so, the device will need an Apple-designed chip with a Secure Enclave cryptographic coprocessor to securely store facial data.
Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo wrote on Medium that Apple will release the indoor camera in 2026. He expects this accessory to integrate with the rumored smart home hub for a complete Apple-branded home security solution. An Apple smart home doorbell could even use the HomeKit Secure Video feature, which stores end-to-end encrypted footage from compatible security cameras in iCloud.
Apple is rumored to be working on several accessories in a renewed smart home push, including a smart home hub with a built-in screen, a smart sound bar combining HomePod and Apple TV functionalities, and a HomeKit-enabled indoor camera similar to Logitech’s Circle View doorbell.