When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.Lock manufacturer Yale announced its next generation of smart locks, the Assure Lock 2. In addition to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, the Assure Lock 2 series is also one of the first products to support Matter, the upcoming internet-connected smart-home protocol that's being adopted by Amazon, Apple, Google, Samsung, and many others.Matter promises to bring interoperability to all the competing smart home technologies. That means all Matter-compatible devices will support whichever platform you're using, whether it's Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, and others.Some existing products could also receive software updates to make them Matter compatible. For example, Apple recently updated the Apple TV with tvOS 16, which adds Matter support to the TV streaming device. The previous version of the Assure Lock will also support Matter.
Yale's second-generation Assure Lock 2 smart lock is smaller and sleeker. In addition to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, it will also support Matter via an optional module. Matter is the upcoming home automation standard that adds interoperability among competing standards.
Assure Lock 2 provides keyless entry through a phone, Apple Watch, or the embedded digital keypad. When connected through Wi-Fi, it also allows remote unlocking and notifications via the Yale Access smartphone app or a voice assistant (Alexa, Google, and Siri) — ideal for early-arriving guests, for example. The previous generation required a separate standalone device for Wi-Fi, but Assure Lock 2 can be purchased with or without a Wi-Fi module.  The Assure Lock 2 is also smaller and has a more modern design when compared to its predecessor, which Yale's Jason Williams, the president of US Smart Residential at Assa Abloy (Yale's parent), described as "not very sexy."In a demonstration, Yale showed us installation is as easy as any home lock. Yale says the Assure Lock 2 better fits doors and holes of varying thickness and size. Power is provided by replaceable AA batteries, and the lock will come in three finishes: black, bronze, and nickel.At launch, the Assure Lock 2 will be available in two versions: one that supports Bluetooth and Apple HomeKit ($180 for either a keyed or keyless touchscreen model, and $160 for a keyed or keyless physical keypad model), and another that supports Wi-Fi ($260 for keyed/keyless touchscreen and $240 for keyed/keyless keypad) — all models support Bluetooth and HomeKit out of the box.Coming soon is a version that supports the Z-Wave home automation protocol ($210 for keyed/keyless touchscreen and $190 for keyed/keyless keypad). The locks will be available from Yale and retailers like Best Buy, The Home Depot, Lowe's, and Amazon.While the Assure Lock 2 is one of the first Matter-compatible devices, availability is contingent on when Matter is ratified. But users can add it down the road via the Matter Smart Module ($80). Users can also add the Wi-Fi Smart Module ($80) separately. The good news is that both modules are compatible with the previous Assure lock.

Source: Business Insider

Powered by NewsAPI.org