While your front door is a barrier that helps prevent unauthorized access to your home, it isn’t enough to keep burglars and thieves at bay. Even the traditional security systems and locks haven’t been able to protect homes from robberies. Smart locks are the indisputable superheroes of this century, many of which just won’t compromise on security.
One similar home security solution is the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock. It has been due to be launched by the renowned smart lock market player, August, the top-of-the-mind solution to stop intruders in their tracks.
| Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
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August Wi-Fi, (4th Generation) Smart Lock – Fits Your Existing Deadbolt in Minutes, Matte Black | $229.00 | Buy on Amazon |
Last update on 2023-03-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The brand’s primary goal is to simplify the lives of its customers by securing them through incredible visibility and control over their front doors. As stated in its corporate mission as “keep the bad guys out and let the good guys in,” the company seeks to ensure that only authorized individuals enter your home.
To deliver this goal, August has constantly been improving to develop and supply products that allow you to stay on top of who comes in or goes out, and at what times. The remote access features keep you in the loop from thousands of miles away. The company partners with smart home industry leaders to design products aimed at enriching your quality of life through comfort and delight.
To help you make the best decision, we’ve come with a comprehensive August Wi-Fi Smart Lock Review. Let’s explore the smart lock in detail:
Product Overview
The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is a tremendous upgrade to all the previous deadbolts available on the market. No wonder you’ll be overwhelmed with the smart ways to come and go.
Fitting seamlessly into your existing smart home, the product is easy to install, attaching to your current deadbolt on the inside of the door. This allows you to continue using your former keys.
Its clean, simple design is meant to fit any home style. Not only is the lock stunningly beautiful, but its amazing power also helps do more with less.
Unlike the previous two launches, both of which required the August Connect Wi-Fi Bridge, this smart lock comes with a built-in Wi-Fi. Thus, no more fuss to operate the device remotely or through voice control.
Pros
- Comes with built-in Wi-Fi to simplify connection
- Easy to install
- Allows remote locking/unlocking
- Compact design to fit any home style
- Operational through Apple Watch in addition to iOS and Android supported apps
- Auto-lock/unlock feature
- Guest keys allow temporary access
- Maintains entry/exit log
- Flawless data security through data encryption and two-factor authentication
- Flexible with smart home integrations such as with Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant
Cons
- Doesn’t Include an HD Camera for better visibility
- No two-way audio feature
Features
Hassle-Free Wi-Fi Connectivity
You may not have purchased the August Smart Lock and the August Smart Lock Pro because you had to buy the August Connect Wi-Fi Bridge to enable Wi-Fi connectivity.
Since the latest August Wi-Fi Smart Lock comprises of an in-built Wi-Fi, this should no longer stop you from making that purchase.
With internet connection made simple, you can avail 24/7 remote access and control over the lock through August app and voice control via home integration apps.
Auto-Lock/Unlock
Fumbling around for keys or taking out your smartphone to unlock the front door can be a challenge if you’re carrying a lot of work-related or other stuff.
Through geofencing technology, August finds out you’re close to your home and greets you with an automatically-unlocked door as you arrive.
Similarly, you will never have to worry about whether the door behind you securely locked or not.
Depending on how you program the lock, it will lock immediately or after a pre-specified time after you push the door close. You can set the auto-lock feature for up to 30 minutes after the door is closed.
Access Through August App and Apple Watch
Like many other smart locks, the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock can be controlled and managed through the August mobile app that’s available both on Android smartphones and any iOS device.
The app gives you full control over the smart lock functions. Besides locking/unlocking, you can create and revoke digital keys, and keep yourself informed of the activity at the door.
To make it even more convenient, you can pair it with your Apple Watch to access the smart lock controls.
As you reach your front door, all you need to do is lift your hand and press the right button on the touch screen of your Apple Watch.
Pairing and functionality with both the August and the Apple Watch are simple.
Remote Access
The remote access feature of the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock grants you comprehensive control over the security device.
You can be in a different continent altogether and still be able to lock/unlock it, quickly manipulate virtual keys, grant temporary access to guests, voice control the lock, and receive activity notifications.
DoorSense
The DoorSense feature of the smart lock offers you a tension-free living. It is a sensor that informs you of not only whether your front door is securely locked but also whether the door was even locked.
Hence, the time and fuel consumed to get back home to check whether the door was securely locked are saved with the DoorSense feature.
Likewise, no need to coax your reluctant neighbor to take a look at your door and confirm that it’s locked.
Smart Home Integrations
The smart lock supports a wide range of smart home integrations, including Google Assistance, Alexa, Apple Siri, IFTTT, Airbnb, Nest, HomeAway, Logitech, Honeywell, Wink, Yonomi, SimpliSafe, Xfinity, Z-Wave, and Stringify.
Remember, you no longer need a Connect Wi-Fi bridge to connect with any of these platforms. The in-built Wi-Fi offers hassle-free internet access, as explained earlier.
Most of these integrations provide smart alerts, i.e., notifications regarding who enters/exits your door, whether the door securely locked or not, and other status changes regarding your door.
Let’s dig deeper into the most popular smart home integrations:
Apple HomeKit
In particular, the Apple HomeKit or Siri allows you to control the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock using voice commands with an Apple iPhone, Apple TV, iPad, HomePod, Apple Watch, and every other Apple device.
Amazon Alexa
If you have any Alexa-enabled device, you can use it to control the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock through voice commands. The device also notifies you of all activity at the front door.
Google Assistant
As long as you have an android device and Google Home, you can control the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock with your voice. Again, you’ll be getting activity notifications for entries/exits at your front door right on your smartphone.
HomeAway
If you have buildings or homes listed on HomeAway, you can automate the entry process for guests by integrating with your new August Wi-Fi Smart Lock. When someone books your rental unit listed on HomeAway, the platform will automatically send a temporary access code. This code will work during the pre-scheduled hours only.
Suppose you’re at work, and the guest just booked your rental unit and required immediate access. Without automation, you may have to leave from work early, and the guest will have to wait at least until you arrive to hand over the keys to the guest. The same problem would occur if you were away, and your guest informs you of their unplanned leave. With this tremendous integration, you or your guests won’t have to bear the inconvenience of a key handoff.
Airbnb
If you’re an Airbnb host, the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock will make life easy for you. You longer have to keep visiting the doorstep to grant entry to guests. Nor do you have to convince the neighbor to keep an eye on the property.
From security to granting entry, everything is automated with the Airbnb integration.
Without a need for a bridging app, the smart lock integrates directly with the Airbnb hosting platform, completely automating the check-in and check-out process.
Security Features
Data Encryption
You just can’t ignore the data security in this digitized world. To prevent hackers from access the sensitive information stored in the mobile apps, August ensures data encryption through both the TLS and Bluetooth Energy (BLE) technology in the August app. This only works with the August app but also secures your data when transmitted to other automation platforms.
Two-Factor Authentication
As an added level of security, the smart lock features two-factor authentication, requiring users to verify their identity with a second form, which can be a phone number or email, when trying to log in to the August app and making configurations.
Phone loss
In case your smartphone goes missing, you can use a web-based interface (lostphone.august.com) to disable the August app and everything else to prevent an unauthorized entry using your smartphone.
Final Verdict: August Wi-Fi Smart Lock Review
To sum it all up, the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is among the most awaited smart home devices out there. It is undoubtedly a quality smart lock with a powerful platform. Its most impressive feature is its flexibility of smart home integrations.
While many other smart locks would integrate Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri, but you don’t find many devices that can be paired with the range of third-party services that this device pairs with, particularly Airbnb and HomeAway.
One shortcoming with this smart lock is that the product doesn’t include a video camera for added security. You will have to buy a separate August video doorbell to get this feature. Also, it doesn’t offer a two-way audio feature.
We truly hope that you found our August Wi-Fi Smart Lock Review insightful.
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