Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) will be selling a smart lock for front doors called August at its stores across the United States.
August smart lock is connected to Apple’s HomeKit
The August smart lock will be included in the list of smart devices connected to HomeKit application of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). Some of the other smart devices connected to HomeKit include the remote-controlled Hue light bulbs from Philips, the WeMo switch from Belkin and the iBaby monitor.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) unveiled the HomeKit app in June. The app is intended to integrate smart devices through the iOS operating system. Users will be able to control their smart devices using voice commands through Siri.
At the time, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) revealed that it has partnerships with several companies developing smart devices for the Home Kit including smart lock makers August and Schlage, Netatmo, a maker of thermostat and weather monitoring kits and Withings, a manufacturer of health and fitness products.
About August smart lock
Yves Béhar is the designer of August smart lock, which was launched in May, 2013. It is the first smart device manufactured by August; the company co-founded by Behar and Jason Johnson, a technology entrepreneur.
The August smart lock is integrated with a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) locking mechanism and intuitive mobile application. It allows home owners to send a virtual key to anyone to be able to open their front doors.
August smart lock retrofits to the existing deadbolt of homeowners and they can install it less than ten minutes. The device uses a similar secure communications technology used by financial institutions. Homeowners have the power to set how long a guest would be able to access their home.
“There are a lot of services coming to your home now. For this delivery economy that we live in, control of the door is going to be critical. We’re rapidly moving into this keyless world, and naturally, we’re going to want that same experience in our homes,” said Behar.
An affordable device for Apple customers
Johnson believed that August smart lock is an affordable smart device for the customers of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) who wants to explore the internet of Things.
“There are these little devices that are beautiful and magical in what they do. As a retailer, Apple has recognized that,” said Johnson.
The retail price of the August smart lock is $249, similar to the price of the Nest thermostat from Nest Labs, which was acquired by Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL).
