August Smart Lock wants to change consumers' notion about Internet-enabled locks that have been known to be bulky and look horrible - the company has just announced smart locks designed by Fuseproject founder Yves Behar.
The August Smart Lock aims to make home automation work better and look better by making use of an iPhone 4S or an iPhone 5 as your key. Plus, it comes with a free service that allows you to send out virtual keys to anyone that you want to let in your home.
According to the company, the August Smart Lock can be retrofitted to an existing deadbolt and can be installed in just less than 10 minutes. The device makes use of Bluetooth lower energy locking system paired with a smartphone mobile app.
The mobile app gives homeowners the control over who enters, get digital keys, and keep a record of who enters the home. Homeowners can also send invites to friends on Facebook or anyone on their smartphone's phonebook.
"August is about technology that puts you at ease," Behar said. "Sure and reliable, August is a complete, secure and attractive system for the users and guests that depend on it."
Behar explained during a recent demonstration that the lock does not rely on any Wi-Fi connection but works perfectly well using its Bluetooth link. The device is powered by four AA batteries that are expected to last from six months to about a year. This means that August Smart Lock will not be useless even during power outages.
August is now accepting reservations for the Smart Lock, which has a sticker price of $199. Delivery of the product is expected to happen before the end of the year.
"Our goal with August is to really make this available to everyone, not just the techies," Behar said during an interview with All Things D.
August was founded by Yves Behar, a well-known industrial designer, and Jason Johnson. Behar's creative works include the OUYA game console and Jawbone Up. Johnson, on the other hand, is also the co-founder of BookShout and AirCover.
The August Smart Lock is, however, not the first smart lock to test the market. A few years back, Schlage had rolled out the wireless lock device Schlage Link for $200. Kwikset, a known lock manufacturer in the United States, have also rolled out an iPhone-controlled lock system called Kevo that sells for $250.
Check out the video below to have an idea how August Smart Lock works:
