In a significant restructuring move, Assa Abloy has laid off most of the staff at Level Home, a smart lock company it acquired in 2024, and is integrating the business into Kwikset, another Assa Abloy-owned smart lock company. According to a source familiar with the decision, the majority of Level Home's staff, including its founders and most of the engineering team, have been let go. Assa Abloy has confirmed that it will continue to develop and support Level locks, but the restructuring raises questions about the future of the business. The company's decision to transfer Level Home assets to Kwikset may lead to complexities in preserving customer support and maintaining the existing user base, which numbers in the hundreds of thousands. If Level's cloud services were to be discontinued, users could lose access to features such as auto-unlock and door status sensing, although locks upgraded to Matter or added to Apple HomeKit would still support basic functions. Assa Abloy's latest financial report shows declining sales in the North America residential segment, which may have contributed to the restructuring decision. The move highlights the challenges of balancing business goals with technical complexities and customer support in the smart home industry. As the smart lock market continues to evolve, companies must navigate these trade-offs to ensure a seamless user experience and maintain customer trust.

Source: The Verge