First look: August Smart Lock Pro + Connect with Apple HomeKit [u]

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone edited October 2017
August's top-of-the-line package, the $279 Smart Lock Pro + Connect, lets people control a door from anywhere with internet access -- and with HomeKit support, becomes fairly easy to integrate with third-party accessories.




The Pro replaces the thumblatch on an existing deadbolt in a process that requires about 15 minutes, at least in most cases. The Connect, meanwhile, plugs directly into an AC outlet, and serves as a Wi-Fi bridge enabling remote access and automation, whether through HomeKit or the August Home iPhone app. HomeKit owners must also have an Apple TV, iPad, or HomePod serving as a Home hub.

Another bundled item -- the DoorSense -- is mounted next to the Pro, and detects whether a door is open and closed, not simply whether the lock is activated.

August's app lets people assign owners, guests, and temporary keys, and also links with the company's Doorbell Cam and/or Smart Keypad accessories. The latter two aren't HomeKit-compatible, though an update should eventually arrive for the Doorbell Cam Pro.




The Smart Lock Pro includes its own customizable auto-lock/unlock functions, based on timers and geofencing. Through HomeKit though it can be integrated into more complex scenes, for example turning on lights and fans when someone returns home.




Keep tabs on AppleInsider for a full review, coming soon.

Update: August says it has yet to announce plans for HomeKit support on the Doorbell Cam Pro.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    mikethemartianmikethemartian Posts: 1,320member
    Why do they only provide the thumb latch side of the lock and not the external half? I would prefer to have the external half with a backup keypad built in instead of buying the keypad as a separate accessory.
  • Reply 2 of 8
    justinpejustinpe Posts: 32member
    mikethemartian said:
    Why do they only provide the thumb latch side of the lock and not the external half? I would prefer to have the external half with a backup keypad built in instead of buying the keypad as a separate accessory.
    That way you don't have to change your current keys, which is especially helpful if you have a dead bolt/knob lock combo that uses the same key for both locks. Your current key IS your backup if the batteries die or the lock fails for any other reason. It also keeps your hardware matching on the exterior.
  • Reply 3 of 8
    WTimbermanWTimberman Posts: 48member
    I bought the first HomeKit-compatible August Smart Lock, and have been very happy with it. At the time, August was promising a HomeKit-compatible doorbell cam, which I was eagerly awaiting, and have been awaiting for nearly a year now. I don't think we're going to see one, especially now that August has been bought out. I even wonder whether or not they'll continue supporting the existing Smart Lock installations. I'd assume so, but these days, buying a start-up's hardware is inevitably an iffy proposition.
  • Reply 4 of 8
    mikethemartianmikethemartian Posts: 1,320member
    justinpe said:
    mikethemartian said:
    Why do they only provide the thumb latch side of the lock and not the external half? I would prefer to have the external half with a backup keypad built in instead of buying the keypad as a separate accessory.
    That way you don't have to change your current keys, which is especially helpful if you have a dead bolt/knob lock combo that uses the same key for both locks. Your current key IS your backup if the batteries die or the lock fails for any other reason. It also keeps your hardware matching on the exterior.
    But you can also mechanically set many locks on the market to use the same key without calling a locksmith.
  • Reply 5 of 8
    folk fountainfolk fountain Posts: 25member
    mikethemartian said:
    justinpe said:
    mikethemartian said:
    Why do they only provide the thumb latch side of the lock and not the external half? I would prefer to have the external half with a backup keypad built in instead of buying the keypad as a separate accessory.
    That way you don't have to change your current keys, which is especially helpful if you have a dead bolt/knob lock combo that uses the same key for both locks. Your current key IS your backup if the batteries die or the lock fails for any other reason. It also keeps your hardware matching on the exterior.
    But you can also mechanically set many locks on the market to use the same key without calling a locksmith.
    That assumes that the key blanks are the same between your current lock and whatever key blank August would have chosen to use in their locks. I chose August specifically because it did not change the locking mechanism and because I don't want a keypad. Perhaps there is room in the market for different products for different people. Perhaps all products were not made for you.
  • Reply 6 of 8
    macguimacgui Posts: 2,358member
    August chose to design an add-on lock instead of a replacement lock, and I think that was a wise choice. Many apartment dwellers can use this where they might not be allowed to use a 'replacement' lock.

    I don't like the idea of a keypad for a lock because that tells everyone that there is a hackable device, and I prefer that information not be widely known.

    Last I heard, Apple restricts the functionality of smart locks— they don't allow proximity locking, or unlocking, I don't remember which. You still had to use the app for one of those functions.

    The August is the only lock that appeals to me, and I'm on the verge of getting one.
  • Reply 7 of 8
    shapetablesshapetables Posts: 201member
    No way I'd trust this. Maybe several years after they've been acquired...

    Schlage on the other hand made some pretty good electric hardware that predated HomeKit by many years and only needed a minor circuit change to be compatible.
  • Reply 8 of 8
    pminzepminze Posts: 1member
    No way I'd trust this. Maybe several years after they've been acquired... Schlage on the other hand made some pretty good electric hardware that predated HomeKit by many years and only needed a minor circuit change to be compatible.
    shapetables said:
    No way I'd trust this. Maybe several years after they've been acquired...

    Schlage on the other hand made some pretty good electric hardware that predated HomeKit by many years and only needed a minor circuit change to be compatible.
    August acquired by huge lock conglomerate Acquired by Assa Abloy, the world’s biggest lock maker and the owner of a multitude of lock brands, including Yale. https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/19/16502790/august-home-acquisition-assa-abloy
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