Over the years, I’ve tested dozens of smart locks for HomeKit Weekly, from the August Lock to the latest Level Lock Pro. They all solved the problem of having to fish out your keys, but never quite solved the “my hands are full” problem. Even with Home Key, you’ll need to get the Apple Watch to the lock or pull out the iPhone. Yes, lots of locks offer different variants of automatic unlocking, but none are perfect and work 100% of the time. This is the problem that Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology is supposed to solve. This week I will be taking an in-depth look at the Aqara UWB Smart Lock U400.
HomeKit Weekly is a series focused on smart home accessories, automation tips and tricks, and everything related to Apple’s smart home framework.
What is ZCU and why does it matter?
As I said, a lot of locks offer automatic unlocking. It is built into Level Lock Pro. It has a lot of smart locks. It’s never 100% perfect, and frankly, it’s frustrating when it fails. Ultra-Wideband is the same technology that Apple uses for precision searching in AirTags. The Aqara U400 uses this to understand your exact location and direction. It will likely become the standard used by all future smart locks.
Matter over Thread with Aqara U400
Aqara U400 is built on Matter over Thread. Thread is faster than Bluetooth and doesn’t put too much strain on your Wi-Fi network. The Aqara U400 responds immediately in the Home application. It also means that if you live in a “mixed” household with Android people, they can use Google Home or Amazon Alexa to control the lock while you’re happily in HomeKit.
- Home Key: If you don’t want to use automatic unlock, you can still tap your iPhone or Watch.
- Fingerprint reader: A biometric scanner is built into the keyboard.
- access code: A hidden touchpad lights up for guests. These are integrated and managed in the Home application.
- Physical key: Yes, it still has the keyway and can be rekeyed. If you want to match it with your existing house keys, you can too.
Urine
Here, Aqara has moved to a rechargeable lithium battery system that lasts around 6 months on a single charge. I usually prefer standard AA batteries just for ease of replacement, but the Aqara included a USB-C port right on the lock. This means that if you have a portable power bank, you can charge the lock without opening the door. I like that charging does not require disassembly.
Pack on the Aqara U400
I believe that Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology will become the new standard for smart locks. There’s a lot to like here. I would argue that the Aqara U400 and the new Level Lock Pro are the two gold standards on the market at the moment. I like that PIN code management is coming to the Home app. Between Home Key, PIN code management and Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology, Apple Home has become the best way to manage a smart lock.
You can buy the Aqara U400 from Amazon.
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