The smart home in 2024 was a year of regrouping. After initial excitement around the new Matter interoperability standard, which attempts to make the smart home simpler and easier to use by allowing connected devices to work with any platform, momentum has stalled. As companies adapt to the reality that it will take time for Matter to matter, 2024 became a year of consolidation, with more focus on software (especially around generative ai) than hardware . However, one category bucked this trend: smart door locks.
Smart locks have seen more innovation in 2024 than almost any other smart home category
The last 12 months have been a stellar period for smart front door hardware, and it looks like 2025 will be even better. Smart locks have seen more innovation in 2024 than almost any other smart home category. Lockly launched the first facial recognition lock, Philips introduced the first palm print lock, and ADT partnered with Google Nest and Yale to create a system that opens the door and disarms the security system using facial recognition.
In a year marked by few innovations in smart home hardware, there was a flurry of new smart locks from major players. Kwikset launched its first Matter smart lock, Yale entered the modernized lock market, Level delivered on its promise to update its locks to support Matter, and TP-Link added a door lock with a built-in camera.
Aqara also launched three new locks, while Eufy and U-tec expanded their lines with the support of Matter. Schlage was the only major player who was relatively quiet, but I guess we'll hear something from them at CES. Additionally, we've seen prices start to drop in the space with connected locks from trusted brands like The house deposit from just $99.
All of this made smart locks one of the most active smart home categories in 2024. A key reason for this is that, while many aspects of setting up a smart home can be confusing, smart door locks are simple. . They are relatively easy to install, come in various prices, and are easy to use. You also don't need a smart home platform or smart home hub to use one, although they may offer additional benefits. If you want to control access to your home from your phone, from anywhere in the world, a smart lock is the answer. And in 2025, smart locks are poised to be even better.
Your phone is your key
Next year we will see the launch of Aliro. This new cross-platform protocol is being developed by Apple, Google, Samsung and major lock manufacturers to provide a standard way to use smartphones, smart watches and any compatible personal device as digital keys for your door.
access is based on the success of Apple home keya very useful feature that allows you to unlock the door by touching it with your Apple Watch or iPhone. Home Key uses NFC technology to enable the transaction and works similarly to Apple Pay. However, like Apple Pay, Home Key is limited to Apple devices and a select few smart locks. With Aliro, the technology will expand to more locks, as well as phones and devices from Samsung, Google and others.
Aliro will bring a simpler, more accurate hands-free unlocking experience to ultra-wideband smart locks
More interestingly, Aliro will bring a simpler and more accurate hands-free unlocking experience to Ultra Wideband (UWB) smart locks. UWB, an emerging technology for precise positioning, will allow a lock to automatically unlock when you approach the door, without needing to touch. Both the lock and the phone or watch will need to have a UWB chip, and Apple has already announced that it will support automatic unlocking on iPhones and Apple Watches, as has Samsung for its Galaxy phones and watches.
However, as the Aliro specification won't be released until 2025, there are no smart locks that support UWB unlocking yet. I expect to see a wave of new smart locks announced with Aliro support soon after the spec arrives. U-tec has already announced a lock with UWB, Kwikset has hinted that it will support the standard, and since Allegion, the company that owns Schlage, is helping develop Aliro, we'll likely see support there too.
Power and interoperability will improve
Two long-standing problems with smart locks have been short battery life and interoperability with different smart home platforms. By the end of 2025, I predict that most smart locks will be compatible with any smart home platform and offer at least one year of battery life. This is a significant improvement over the current three to six months of potentially frustrating and limited support for Apple Home.
By the end of 2025, most smart locks will be compatible with any smart home platform and offer at least one year of battery life.
The solution to these problems lies in Matter-over-Thread, the smart home standard and its connectivity protocol designed for battery-powered IoT devices such as smart locks. Matter will allow your smart lock to work with any smart home platform you choose, while Thread will help you consume less power than Wi-Fi-based locks. I've tested several Thread smart locks, including the Aqara U300 and the Yale Assure SL, and the battery life has been impressive.
While Matter has gotten off to a slow start in smart locks (partly due to some issues with platform support), we're starting to see more Matter-over-Thread locks arrive. Over the next year, I expect this to become the norm, especially as locks adopt Aliro, which will likely require more power. Smart locks can and will be compatible with both Matter and Aliro.
If you're considering adding smart features to your front door, 2025 is shaping up to be a great year to do so.
