The first deadbolt smart lock with a fingerprint scanner that supports Matter-over-Thread has been launched by smart lock maker U-tec. The quickest and most straightforward method of opening a smart lock is with a fingerprint reader, and Matter-over-Thread connection should address two of the main problems with smart locks: inadequate connectivity and short battery life.
The majority of linked locks available today provide either a year of battery life but are restricted to Bluetooth’s short range and lack of smart home compatibility, or only a few months of battery life but let you to use Wi-Fi for all your smart home connections. Battery-operated gadgets may now function longer thanks to Thread’s low-power mesh network, and Matter, a new smart home standard, enables them to connect to all smart home platforms via a secure, local connection.
The Ultraloq Bolt Fingerprint Matter ($299, from U-tec) is a device that aims to reconcile the realms of connection and battery life. It is compatible with Samsung SmartThings, Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and others through Matter. Although there are a few Thread Matter locks available, none of them include a fingerprint scanner, which is a deal-breaker for me. Yale has a Thread module for their older Assure SL lock that works with Matter, and Nuki has a Matter-over-Thread lock but only for European locks.
The new lock will be shown by U-tec at the CES 2024 tech expo in Las Vegas the following week. There, the company will also present its expansion into the smart home market with the introduction of two new security cameras, a Wi-Fi mesh smart lighting system, and the U home mobile app.
The business will also showcase a new fingerprint lock model that syncs with Apple Home over Wi-Fi and one that doesn’t require a fingerprint reader but still supports Apple’s Home Key. These are standalone locks, though; as of right now, Aqara’s U100 smart lock supports Matter and Home Key but operates over Zigbee via a hub. There is still no Matter-over-Thread smart lock that also supports Apple Home Key. Furthermore, U-tec vice president Clark Ruan revealed to The Verge that Matter won’t be supported by U-Bolt locks from earlier generations since they need separate processors.
With six different ways to unlock the lock, including fingerprint or Home Key, physical key, code entry on the keypad, app, auto-unlock feature that opens the door as you approach, and voice control via Alexa, Google, or Siri, U-Tec has released three new locks that replace traditional deadbolts.
- According to Ruan, the Matter-over-Thread deadbolt lock is the Ultraloq Bolt Fingerprint Matter (Thread), which will retail for $299 and go on sale at the end of March. Although it lacks Wi-Fi and NFC (thus no Apple Home Key), it is compatible with Matter-enabled devices like Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, and Samsung SmartThings.
- Apple Home via HomeKit will be supported for the first time by a U-tec device: the Ultraloq Bolt (or WiFi). According to Ruan, it will ship by the end of January, cost $249, and include built-in Wi-Fi—not via a hub or dongle.
- The first Apple Home Key smart lock from the firm will be the Ultraloq Bolt NFC (Wi-Fi). It will employ NFC for the Home Key instead of a fingerprint reader. It will work with Google Home, Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings via Wi-Fi networking. According to Ruan, it will launch at the end of April for $249.
As part of its new Bright Wi-Fi mesh smart lighting system, U-tec is also releasing a new A19 smart bulb, smart socket, and smart dimmer switch in addition to the new locks. The Bright A19 is a hub-free, full-color, 1100 lumen lightbulb. You may connect more than one Bright bulb to your Wi-Fi owing to the Wi-Fi mesh technology, but only the root bulb really makes a connection to the router. As a result, it just counts as one device, thus regardless of how many bulbs you have, your Wi-Fi network shouldn’t get overloaded.
According to Ruan, Bright A19 lights WiFi Mesh Edition are pre-integrated with Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and SmartThings. There will be a Matter edition later on that will support Apple Home as well.
The new U-tec smart plug ($12.99) and smart dimmer switch ($22.99), which also function with the Wi-Fi mesh network and go on sale in February, come with a new U home app that will be compatible with the new locks and lights. According to Ruan, the lighting devices will work with Samsung SmartThings, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa. Matter versions, on the other hand, will be released later.
Ruan announces that U-tec will be releasing two new security cameras in June: the Ulticam, which runs on batteries and costs $69, and the Ulticam, which has a connected spotlight and costs $149. Free local storage, free cloud storage for three days, and on-device AI for identifying people, animals, parcels, and cars are among its features. They are compatible with Google Home and Amazon Alexa, but not with Apple Home. Since Matter does not currently support security cameras, there is no information available about Matter support.
