In his latest “Power On” newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Apple is working on an in-home security camera and smart doorbell.
“Apple believes it has an edge in this area because of its long-stated commitment to privacy,” he writes. “The thinking is that consumers will trust it more than rivals with in-home security footage. The service also could help Apple sell subscriptions to iCloud, where customers would store the video. (Apple has long been able to do this through a feature called HomeKit Security Video.) People also tend to buy several cameras when they’re securing their house, so this is an easy way to add new revenue to the company’s Wearables, Home and Accessories division.”
Gurman adds that Apple is also working on a smart doorbell with advanced facial recognition that wirelessly connects to a deadbolt lock. The idea is that the doorbell could automatically unlock the door for a home’s residents by scanning their face — just like Face ID lets them into their iPhone.
“Work on the doorbell is still in the early stages, though,” he says. “I’m told not to expect anything to come to market before the end of next year at the soonest. If it ultimately debuts, I expect it to make good use of the company’s upcoming Proxima wireless chip and its secure enclave feature, which helps protects customers’ data.”
This info from Gurman is from the free edition of “Power On”. If you like it, consider subscribing to Bloomberg.com—you’ll receive the newsletter earlier and get exclusive access to a Q&A section.
