Unlocking your front door from anywhere is getting easier with the Kwikset Kevo and August Smart Lock
The road to a smart home begins at your front door. And at CES 2015 in Las Vegas, two companies have announced some nice improvements to their app-enabled locks.
Owners of both the Kwikset Kevo and August Smart Lock will soon be able to add Wi-Fi connectivity to their devices. That means that you’ll be able to unlock the door from absolutely anywhere you can receive a data signal.
Both locks bring a level of smart access control to your home. Originally, users could only control the lock from a short range using Bluetooth on their iOS devices. But that has now changed.
Available to preorder now for $49.99, the August Connect works directly with the $249.99 lock. It plugs into a power outlet near the lock and will allow users to do things like remotely lock and unlock the door and immediately be informed when anyone leaves or enters the home.
It will ship in mid-February.
The Kwikset Kevo.
Kwikset is taking a bit of a different approach with its Kevo Plus platform. Once previous or new lock owners sign up for the service, they’ll receive a free Bluetooth-enabled gateway that plugs into a router with an Ethernet connection. The lock itself, which retails for $219.95, will connect to that gateway.
Pricing for the cloud-based service has yet to be announced. It will be available in the spring.
I’ve been using the Kwikset Kevo since early last year, and I’m very excited to hear about the new service. While unlocking my front door with just an iPhone is really handy, connecting the lock to the Internet opens up a completely new set of exciting possibilities that can help make your home truly connected. So much for leaving your spare key under the mat.
If you’re interested, the Lockitron is another Wi-Fi enabled lock. It costs $179, but has been plagued by numerous shipping delays and other issues.
For other recent news from the show, see: Who needs the Apple Watch? Incipio’s Prompt Folio iPad Air 2 case features a built-in display, CES 2015: LifeProof’s new iPhone 6 case, the Fre Power, might just be the ultimate accessory, and Kenwood and Pioneer unveil new in-dash receivers driven by Apple’s CarPlay.