Kwikset is a leading residential lock manufacturer dedicated to making homeowners feel safe since 1946. With over 80 years of history, Kwikset has a legacy of innovation—ranging from the introduction of SmartKey Security™ to the first-to-market biometric and Bluetooth-enabled locks. In 2024, they introduced Halo Select, the first smart lock to feature built-in Matter over Thread and Wi-Fi, offering consumers the latest connectivity choices. Today, the Kwikset app ecosystem supports millions of connected devices, protecting homes across the globe.
As a next step, Kwikset wanted to bridge the gap between their hardware and the broader smart home, enabling intuitive automations without forcing users to switch apps. Kwikset decided to integrate with the Google Home APIs to realize this vision.
Challenge
Users faced friction when trying to verify the status of their home in real-time. While the Kwikset app provides push notifications, these alerts still depend on the user having their phone nearby, noticing the message, and interpreting it in the moment – conditions that often break down in busy or high‑distraction environments.
The lack of an immediate and ambient feedback system presented a challenge for specific user groups like:
Busy households: For families managing a hectic household, pausing to check a phone screen isn't always feasible during the rush of daily routines.
Accessibility needs: Elderly members or those who are less tech-savvy often rely on audible cues rather than visual app confirmations for peace of mind.
Kwikset sought a way to eliminate these limitations, aiming to bring accurate, timely, and audible notifications directly into the user's environment without requiring any device interaction.
What Kwikset Did
Kwikset solved this user friction by leveraging Google Home APIs to enable audible lock updates for Kwikset lock users.
Here's how it works- after syncing their Google Home and Kwikset app accounts, users can set up an automation directly in the Kwikset app which enables any connected Google speaker to automatically announce Kwikset lock status updates, such as "Front door locked" or "Back Door unlocked".While the automation is in effect, changes to the lock state are instantly relayed to Google Home and broadcast in real-time from the user's Google speaker.
This creates an ambient layer of security that informs the whole house without requiring anyone to open an app or rely on push notifications on their phone. And disabling the automation is just as easy as setting it up- if a user decides they no longer want audible lock updates, they can turn them off again in the same place directly in the Kwikset app.
Kwikset leveraged the Google Home sample app to understand the technical requirements and validate the solution, enabling the team to streamline the integration process. By completing this integration, Kwikset expanded the utility of their app to offer deeper functional control within the Google Home ecosystem as well as a differentiated user experience
We strive to deliver a seamless home access and security experience for the Kwikset community. Partnering with Google Home to unlock voice announcements via the Kwikset app advances user control and convenience within their home. We look forward to continuing to iterate and enable deeper integration for users' benefit.
Harsh Khera, Sr. Software Engineering Manager at Kwikset
Results
By supplementing the Kwikset app with the audio capabilities of Google Home, the update drove value for Kwikset in three key areas:
Real-time assurance: The introduction of audible alerts provides immediate peace of mind. It is valuable for families with children or elderly members who can now receive confirmation of their home's security status via voice, eliminating the need to interact with a phone.
Development alignment: By utilizing Google's documentation and sample applications, Kwikset developers gained clearer insight into the technical requirements and integration patterns needed for a reliable solution. This foundation reduced uncertainty and enabled the team to focus their efforts on delivering a stable integration and refining the end‑to‑end user experience.
Foundation for future automation: This integration lays the groundwork for deeper smart home innovation. Kwikset is now ideating on advanced use cases to further integrate locks with other devices throughout the home, creating a fully automated and secure home.
Ready to create unlock new security experiences like Kwikset? Start building with the Google Home APIs today!