A smart lock that isn't a lock at all is on display at CES 2021
Den Smart Home is approaching smart locks from the other side of the door.
At CES last year, we saw the Level Lock, an "invisible" smart lock that replaced the deadbolt of your existing door hardware. At CES 2021, a new approach to making an unseen smart lock is on display at the virtual show.
The Den SmartStrike makes your existing lock smart by changing not the deadbolt, but the strike plate on the door frame. The Den SmartStrike communicates through BLE, Zigbee, Wi-Fi or Z-Wave to your iOS or Android mobile devices for remote access to your door. The company says it will also integrate with popular smart home platforms.
With the Den SmartStrike installed in your doorframe, your regular deadbolt is housed inside a smart strike plate that unlocks via app. The company's demo video shows the deadbolt's installation and control of a regular lock.
The idea, as with the Level Lock, is that your door can join your smart home without advertising it to the outside world or your needing to change the look of your hardware.
Den Smart Home says the Den SmartStrike will cost $229. That's comparable to other smart locks from major brands like Yale, Kwikset and August. The invisible Level Lock that debuted last year costs also costs $229, but only works with HomeKit. The SmartStrike from Den Smart Home could launch as soon as the third quarter of this year in the US, with a global expansion slated for 2022.
See also
- Our CES 2021 Day 2 recap: Razer's futuristic N95 mask, smart lipstick and a flying car
- CES 2021 products you can actually buy this year
- GM surprises with Cadillac eVTOL air taxi at CES 2021
- ColdSnap is the Keurig of ice cream, and it's a CES 2021 product we all need right about now
- LG Evo at CES: Brighter OLED TVs are finally coming, but they won't come cheap
- CES 2021's coolest new gadgets: Rollable phones, giant TVs, coronavirus killers