Yale and August Launch New HomeKit-Compatible Smart Keypads

[827538]

I don’t lock the keyed inside deadbolt when home. If some breaks in through a window when I’m not at home they can’t leave through a door.

Fair enough. Personally I feel if they've broken in through the window then there's nothing stopping them going out the window usually. Also I believe using double cylinder deadbolts is against building safety fire codes in many areas.

Between the gate, fence, lighting, CCTV, reinforced windows (hurricane rated), dog and shotguns/pistols/rifles I'm not overlay concerned, I'll pick fire safety and convenience over a slight increase in security. Also the crime rate here is non-existent.
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I somewhat agree - I prefer a clean brand-free look very much.

But none if the new. Even outside of tech: Every car I have ever bought came with a sticker or decal on the back with the dealership's name - which I remove with GooGone as soon as I get home.

I agree with you on the car thing. Absolutely hate crap in the back window, bumper/tailgate stickers, license plate frames. I even remove the model and engine decals. Much nicer having a clean look.

But the Yale logo doesn't bother me either.

I'd quite like if Yale released a Homekit compatible lockbox for storing a spare key that could be hidden but also accessible.

 

[Iconoclysm]

Seems a little dangerous to me to use double-cylinder deadbolts. Personally I think single cylinder deadbolts are a better solution.

As for smart locks like this, I'm always concerned about their security, how do I know they will remain secure and updated 5 years from now?

For me sometimes just keeping things like locks simple is the better solution. Just use some Grade 1 single cylinder deadbolts for all exterior doors.

The problem is that doors that have glass panes in them can be opened simply by breaking a single pane. A double cylinder smart lock would be safer, actually, since you have more than one way to open the lock.
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Will your guests care about a conventional lock? No.
That's why they're different and have a branding: so people will notice and know what brand it is.

Haha, nevermind what I actually think about my own locks, right? Give me a break. My guests will likely think the logo looks like crap too.

 

[zantafio]

You can use the Home app to unlock doors. But Siri does not.

I have no problems unlocking my door with Siri on my iPhone both with IOS 11 and IOS12.

 

[Iconoclysm]

Because that's how they spread brand awareness. If you have a Yale smartlock, most people coming to your house probably think its a cool product and might consider getting one but won't ask you what brand it is - so they put their brand on it front and center.

Cellphones and smartphones were the same way for a very very long time - and in many ways still are. Notice the giant Apple on the back of your phone? Apple also broke that mold sort of, but not really. They just changed the brand to be the whole device. Through mountains of advertising across all media, they taught everyone to know that a rectangle with rounded corners and a circle at the bottom means iPhone. Thus, the whole front of the device was their brand.

...you do realize what the front of most smartphones looked like before and for quite some time after, right? Apple started removing all this crap with their Macs, not just the iPhones. A logo is fine, particularly when it's just a symbol. Having Schlage printed on the outside of my door is ugly. And don't get me started on the Ring doorbells.
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I have no problems unlocking my door with Siri on my iPhone both with IOS 11 and IOS12.

View attachment 788777

Any of these locks compatible with homekit will unlock with Siri. There are situations where she will refuse though, such as when CarPlay is running.

 

[oneMadRssn]

...you do realize what the front of most smartphones looked like before and for quite some time after, right? Apple started removing all this crap with their Macs, not just the iPhones. A logo is fine, particularly when it's just a symbol. Having Schlage printed on the outside of my door is ugly. And don't get me started on the Ring doorbells.

The problem with Ring and Yale and such isn't that they have a logo on the product, it's that their logos just look bad in general and don't serve any purpose for the user.

I have the Schlage Sense lock, and the logo is not so bad. It's pretty small, and it's actually a functional button. If unlocked, it will lock the door; if locked, it will light up the backlight on the keypad. With that dual-function, I'm not sure what else they could have put there. I think I prefer the Schlage logo to a button that says "lock/light" or something. It's pretty easy to convey to guests - "press the Schlage logo to lock" or "if you can't see the keypad, press the Schlage logo before entering the code to light it up."

Also, Apple didn't remove any crap - they just made it visually appealing. Indeed, Apple made the logo bigger by making it the whole phone. I agree it's not as offensive because their logos (iPhone, Apple) are aesthetically pleasing, but at the core they are still in-your-face branding. In that sense, Apple didn't change anything.

 

[dontwalkhand]

I somewhat agree - I prefer a clean brand-free look very much.

But none if the new. Even outside of tech: Every car I have ever bought came with a sticker or decal on the back with the dealership's name - which I remove with GooGone as soon as I get home. I just got a fence for my yard, and the installer riveted on a small (2"x3") plate with his brand and phone number on the corner post. I'm going to leave that on so I remember who to call if it needs repair later, but it's clearly there so neighbors and others walking by know who installed the fence if they like it. Most of my homegoods have a logo on them: blender, tea kettle, toaster, etc.

Why would Yale drop their branding when brands are all over everywhere?

It’s the same thing as you buying a car with no logos at all. Not the dealership name but the car manufacturer. Or an iPhone with no Apple. Etc.

 

[Coffee50]

Seems a little dangerous to me to use double-cylinder deadbolts. Personally I think single cylinder deadbolts are a better solution.

As for smart locks like this, I'm always concerned about their security, how do I know they will remain secure and updated 5 years from now?

For me sometimes just keeping things like locks simple is the better solution. Just use some Grade 1 single cylinder deadbolts for all exterior doors.

Technically, we don't know. 5 years (in tech) is a long time. But most of the higher end smart locks are currently under $300.....(and can be found at even lower prices when you factor in sales, store promos, etc.... I picked up the August Pro + connect for $229.)

So for that price point, worst case scenario, even if it's no longer supported after 5 years, I would've certainly received the value of it based on what I spent. And they way the smart market is expanding (as well as the hosting market like Airbnb), mean that most of these companies (and products) will continue to be updated.

I know people who run their rentals with smart locks.

The convenience of issuing digital keys & having a log of every time the door is open & closed (and whether it's locked) is a huge plus for me.
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It’s the same thing as you buying a car with no logos at all. Not the dealership name but the car manufacturer. Or an iPhone with no Apple. Etc.

Branding is virtually on everything. Every car manufacturer ( Toyota, Audi, BMW, Nissan, etc,) all have logos.

Smart TV's, appliances, & most electronic devices have corporate branding.

I'm not a huge fan of it either, but it's also something that just common place in society.

In terms of smart locks, I don't see this going away anytime soon. I do like that august isn't spelled out on the lock, it's just the small logo.

 

[DeanL]

Haha, nevermind what I actually think about my own locks, right? Give me a break. My guests will likely think the logo looks like crap too.

The solution is to not buy it then ;-)

 

[827538]

The problem is that doors that have glass panes in them can be opened simply by breaking a single pane. A double cylinder smart lock would be safer, actually, since you have more than one way to open the lock.
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Haha, nevermind what I actually think about my own locks, right? Give me a break. My guests will likely think the logo looks like crap too.

We have reinforced double glazed hurricane proof glass, this stuff will take a sledge hammer and no windows near the locks. Again, if someone is prepared to smash glass then I hardly think a double cylinder deadbolt will stop them.
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Technically, we don't know. 5 years (in tech) is a long time. But most of the higher end smart locks are currently under $300.....(and can be found at even lower prices when you factor in sales, store promos, etc.... I picked up the August Pro + connect for $229.)

So for that price point, worst case scenario, even if it's no longer supported after 5 years, I would've certainly received the value of it based on what I spent. And they way the smart market is expanding (as well as the hosting market like Airbnb), mean that most of these companies (and products) will continue to be updated.

I know people who run their rentals with smart locks.

The convenience of issuing digital keys & having a log of every time the door is open & closed (and whether it's locked) is a huge plus for me.
[doublepost=1537914730][/doublepost]

Branding is virtually on everything. Every car manufacturer ( Toyota, Audi, BMW, Nissan, etc,) all have logos.

Smart TV's, appliances, & most electronic devices have corporate branding.

I'm not a huge fan of it either, but it's also something that just common place in society.

In terms of smart locks, I don't see this going away anytime soon. I do like that august isn't spelled out on the lock, it's just the small logo.

I didn't think of the AirBnB angle, that's a pretty good idea.
Personally I'm not against them, I'm just happy to keep things simple and robust. Grade 1 Medeco single cylinder deadbolts for me.