Apple, Google, and Samsung have teamed up with lock makers and chip makers, including Allegion (Schlage), Assa Abloy (Yale), Qualcomm, and NXP, to build an open standard for smart locks and digital keys, using devices like your smartphone or smartwatch. Launching Thursday, the effort is called Aliro, and if you’ve ever enjoyed using Apple’s Home Key technology on your watch or phone to unlock your door, you’ll be excited about this new standard.
But don’t get too excited. It’s going to be a while until Aliro even confirms how it’s going to achieve this digital key nirvana. The working group behind Aliro is part of the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), and spokesperson Nelson Henry told The Verge they’re targeting early 2025 for the…
