For years, Google has been working to bring your devices closer together by allowing them to share data and sync information. Instead of just syncing data, someday your devices may be able to communicate with each other permitting two devices in close proximity to unlock one another.

This new unlocking and locking feature may debut on Chrome OS via a Chrome API called “chrome”screenunlockPrivate,” which, in technical terms, allows select apps to control the ChromeOS ScreenLocker.” The API was discovered by developer François Beaufort, who found the above description in a Chromium code review. Chromium is the open source version of Chrome OS and is often used as a testing ground for new features that end up in Chrome.

This new API is described in detail in an accompanying Google document that says the API is designed to give Chrome apps the ability to lock or unlock the screen on Chrome OS device. This feature may not be limited to just Android smartphones, other devices capable of unlocking a desktop could also include rings, watches, badges and other Bluetooth or NFC devices. As noted in the API documentation:

Use cases
A platform app may use the USB, NFC, and/or Bluetooth APIs to communicate with a secondary trusted device such as a phone, ring, watch, or badge, thereby allowing that trusted device to serve as an alternative form of authentication for the user.

This is a proposal for a Chromium feature, which means it is still in the very early stages of development. If testing and development proceeds smoothly, it may end up in Chrome OS someday. Would you be interested in a feature that allows you unlock a Chromebook with your smartwatch or smartphone?