August’s Bluetooth enabled SmartLock, just got a little smarter thanks to the launch of a new Wi-Fi enabled home hub at CES 2015.
The August Connect will give users control of the company’s SmartLock while they’re away from the home as well as in the vicinity of a Bluetooth connection.
For example, if you’re expecting an electrician or plumber or have an important delivery you want left inside the house, rather than on the doorstep, it’ll be easy to unlock the door from your smartphone.
If a fellow resident doesn’t have their smartphone or a key with them, the Connect will also allow you to let them in from the comfort of your office chair.
Read more: The best (and worst) smart home tech of CES 2015
To make its technology more inclusive, August is also opening an API which will allow other smart home partners to integrate their offerings with the SmartLock and Connect hub.
Google-owned Nest, SmartThings and Logitech Harmony are three big players in the sector who’re already on board.
An example of the newfangled integration of third-party products will see the Nest Thermostat automatically revert to energy-saving mode when the homeowner leaves the house and locks the door. Once they return home and unlock the door it’ll automatically begin warming and cooling the house depending on the locale or the season.
The August Connect will go on sale in February.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
