Indiana-based home security firm Schlage has become one of the first to support Apple’s latest enhancement to the HomeKit experience with home keys capability.

Announced virtually at last week’s CES in Las Vegas, the Encode Plus smart wifi deadbolt lets consumers with home keys in Apple Wallet simply tap to unlock the deadbolt using their iPhone and Apple Watch for easy and secure access to their home.

“Throughout our 100-year history, we have remained committed to revolutionising the user experience with convenient and secure home access our customers can trust,” said Dave Ilardi, general manager at Schlage. “We’re excited about our collaboration with Apple that brings together two highly regarded brands with a history and reputation for delivering innovation to the connected home. The Schlage Encode Plus smart wifi deadbolt provides homeowners with an even simpler and secure way to access their homes. This is just another step in our vision to create purposeful experiences that deliver simplicity and peace of mind.”

Schlage says it is the first smart lock provider in the North American market to support Apple’s home keys for iPhone and Apple Watch. With a Schlage Home Key in Apple Wallet, homeowners don’t even need to unlock their iPhone or Apple Watch to open their lock, and with Power Reserve, even if the iPhone needs to be charged, they may still be able to tap to unlock for up to five hours after their iPhone battery runs out.

Additionally, the lock is also supported by the Schlage Home app. The same features developed with Schlage’s original wifi-enabled lock are available through the app. For example, homeowners can check the status of their deadbolt and lock and unlock the deadbolt remotely from their phone.

They can create and manage up to 100 access codes from the app, as well as set schedules for those codes for recurring, temporary or permanent access.

Real-time activity logs make it easier to know when a code has been used, and customisable push notifications provide an added layer of security and peace of mind.

Pairing the deadbolt with the Home app allows homeowners to use Alexa or Google Assistant to control their lock via voice. The deadbolt is compatible with iOS and Android devices via the Home app.

The deadbolt can be simultaneously paired and managed by the Home app and Apple HomeKit for consumers to experience the benefits and functionality of both apps.

The deadbolt will be available for purchase late this spring and will retail for $300 MSRP.

Schlage parent company Allegion had $2.7bn in revenue in 2020, and its security products are sold around the world.