The smart home market is consolidating as smaller companies are getting gobbled up by larger vendors in order to create an ecosystem where consumers don’t need to go to multiple vendors for multiple devices.
The end goal is to create an all-in-one solution with services provided by the same vendor.
To this end, Schlage has introduced a new Wi-Fi compatible smart lock that works with Ring video doorbells and cameras as well as Amazon Alexa. The deadbolt can be managed via the Key app, enabling remote access from anywhere and optional in-home delivery for eligible Amazon Prime members without the need for a hub. This allows access to be granted to friends and family by enabling locking and unlocking in the Live View within the Ring app.
The Schlage Encode Smart Wi-Fi Deadbolt allows users to lock or unlock the deadbolt or check the lock’s status from anywhere when the lock is connected to a home’s Wi-Fi. The deadbolt can manage up to 100 guest access codes, can schedule codes for certain times of the day, can send virtual keys to guests through a smartphone, can use an activity log to see when the lock has been accessed, can select auto-locking times and can configure built-in alarm warnings based on the type of disturbance detected. The deadbolt also has voice-capabilities through Alexa.