Aqara Sensible Lock U100 provides Matter to the sensible lock combine

Aqara has kickstarted the Matter sensible lock motion with the launch of the Sensible Lock U100; a sensible deadbolt that performs properly throughout a number of sensible residence ecosystems.

In addition to the headline Matter sensible residence compatibility, the Aqara Sensible Lock U100 additionally syncs with Apple Dwelling, Amazon Alexa, Google Dwelling – however there are just a few caveats based mostly on the way you need to combine it in your house.

Out of the field it could simply act as a Bluetooth sensible lock, dwelling contained in the Aqara app.

If you wish to add Matter, Alexa, Apple or Google Dwelling to the combination then you definately’ll have to pair it with one of many multitudes of Aqara sensible residence hubs.

If you need Matter management then that hub must be the Hub M2 as Matter rolled out on that again in February. Different Aqara hubs – just like the Hub M1S, Hub E1, Digital camera Hub G3 and Digital camera Hub G2H Professional – will apparently be receiving the replace over “the approaching months”.

Even then, it isn’t fairly so straight ahead (nothing actually is with Matter in the meanwhile)… Alexa, for instance, does not but help locks (or bridges just like the Hub M2) however that’s set to vary quickly.

When you go down the Matter / HomeKit route although then the U100 is effectively positioned as additionally it is appropriate with Apple Dwelling Key, which implies that you need to use Apple Pockets to ‘store’ your key and unlock your door with both your iPhone or Apple Watch.

And with Apple’s Energy Reserve function (supported on iPhone XS or later and Apple Watch Sequence 4 operating watchOS 8 or later) you’ll be able to even open your door as much as 5 hours after your cellphone or watch has run out of battery.

Learn this: The most effective sensible locks

Apart from the HomeKit smarts, the U100 additionally helps plenty of different unlocking choices together with fingerprint, password, NFC and a mechanical key.

You might be additionally ready, via the Aqara Dwelling app, to create one-time and periodic passwords to offer entry to friends for brief time period, long run, or particular time frames.

The U100 is powered by 4 AA batteries and Aqara tells us this equates to eight months of life. You’ll get a low battery energy warning at 20% and if you happen to do let the juice run dry you need to use a bodily key or cost it through a USB-C port.

Aqara is a quickly increasing model and is a good choice if you happen to’re on the lookout for cheap, dependable methods to broaden your Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant powered sensible houses.

A few years again we printed our complete Aqara sensible residence assessment; so be sure to take a learn of that for extra data and particulars of precisely what’s on supply – we’ll be updating that assessment very quickly as effectively, so keep tuned for that.

The Sensible Lock U100 is on the market proper now on Aqara’s Amazon store for $189.99.