Jordan O'BrienWe are now two years from the point where Nest and Yale first agreed to work together on a new smart lock, and at CES 2018 we’re finally seeing the fruits of that labour.
Dubbed the Nest x Yale, this smart lock isn’t too dissimilar to what Yale has previously offered in its range. In fact, the design is reminiscent of the Yale Keyless, although it lacks the metal surrounding that some users found polarising.
Nest and Yale both seem confident that this new smart lock will be a reliable solution, as it offers no backup key entry. Instead users have to unlock the door using either the keypad provided or their smartphone. That’s all well and good as long as the lock maintains power, as this battery-operated device could run out of juice at any moment. Thankfully, as long as the user carries a spare battery with them at all times, they’ll be able to simply jumpstart the lock if that situation arises.
The big news surrounding this smart lock is all about its integration with Nest, however. That’s because the Nest x Yale directly connects to the smart home manufacturer’s new home security system, and can be directly controlled from within the Nest app. In fact, this is the first third-party product that can be directly managed from inside Nest’s app.
Through its integration with the rest of Nest’s products, users can rest with the knowledge that an entire ecosystem of products is keeping their homes safe. That means Nest Thermostat can recognise when a user is away from home, turn the heating down, activate the home security system, make sure the door is locked, and direct notifications from the smoke alarm to a user’s smartphone.
The Nest x Yale is set to be available in March, although pricing has yet to be announced. There’s no word on whether a UK launch is planned, although Yale has launched its other smart locks in the UK before.