Kwikset launches Aura & Halo smartlocks, HomeKit-ready Premis Contemporary

By Roger Fingas

At the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show, Kwikset on Tuesday unveiled several new iPhone-compatible smartlocks, though so far only one of them is confirmed as having Apple HomeKit compatibility.

The Premis Contemporary in iron black.

That product is the Premis Contemporary, Kwikset said, simply a cosmetic redesign of its existing HomeKit-ready lock, reviewed by AppleInsider. The original Premis is battery-powered, and lets homeowners control a door via Siri, app, key, or touchscreen.

Two Wi-Fi-enabled Halo locks are due to launch sometime in 2019, one of them with a physical keypad and the other a touchscreen, like the Premis. At least initially digital control will be through a new Kwikset mobile app with features like access permissions, history, and a cloud service -- Kwikset has promised support for "other smart home product and system providers" though, which could theoretically mean HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and/or Google Assistant.

The touchscreen version of the Kwikset Halo.

The Halo Keypad Wi-Fi Smart Lock will cost $199, and come in satin nickel and Venetian bronze colors. The Halo Touchscreen Wi-Fi Smart Lock will be $229, and sold in chrome, satin nickel, iron black, and Venetian bronze.

The Aura uses Bluetooth instead of Wi-Fi, limiting its range, and comes with a physical keypad only. There appear to be no plans for platform compatibility beyond the future Kwikset mobile app, but the tradeoff is a cheaper $149 pricetag. It should ship sometime this year in satin nickel, Venetian bronze, and iron black.

The Kwikset Aura in Venetian bronze.