Yale to offer new keyless smart locks

Yale will soon be expanding its lineup of keyless smart locks, the Connecticut-based company announced today. Available by next month, the new locks are promising a smaller design, simplified installation, and “one-button enrollment” into existing Z-Wave networks.

Along with a new touchscreen model similar to the one we reviewed last year, Yale’s putting out a less extravagant push button variation, too. That’s a first from the Yale Real Living line of keyless locks, which up until now have been touchscreen only.

Sacrificing that touchscreen seems like a sensible way to bring the price point down. Yale hasn’t released specific pricing info just yet, but tells us that the locks are “priced to make it easier than ever for homeowners to protect their homes with a Yale Real Living smart lock.” We look forward to seeing just how easy they’re thinking, especially given the cost of entry for the current generation of Yale Real Living smart locks, and of high-profile competitors, like the Kwikset Kevo.

Coded entry brings some pretty intriguing functionality to your front door. Setting temporary codes for guests and house workers seems like an especially good idea, as you can easily delete the code as soon as you don’t need it anymore.

Some home automation networks might even regulate the specific dates and times when specific codes will be accepted. Another potential perk is the ability to automate smart devices simply by locking or unlocking the deadbolt — a great way of turning on connected lights or appliances as soon as you get home.

A decent home automation system should also be able to give you alerts if the lock’s batteries are starting to run low, so that you can replace them before getting locked out. Should you ignore them and get locked out anyway, you’ll still be able to connect a 9V battery to the exterior of the lock, giving it just enough juice for you to enter your code and get inside.

Yale tells us that the push button model (B1L) will be available as soon as this month, with the touchscreen model (T1L) following a few weeks later. Yale sells locks in Australia and the UK, but hasn’t told us if or when the new locks will be available in those markets as well. We’ll update this post as we learn more.