![]() People have been wary of "taking their lock off and putting this giant albatross on your door," said John Martin, CEO of Level Home. In fact, that’s often the determining factor for people considering launching their home locks into the digital age, according to the home tech startup Level Home. Others look like standard function calculators attached to the outside of the door, which some homeowners may consider an eyesore. While there are different styles from different makers, smart locks are often chromed-out bulbs or boxes that jut out from the door. They've been around for thousands of years, either placed within the doorknob itself or below it. Traditional locks, which aren't automated, tend to fade into the background since people are used to seeing them. In other words, many smart locks lack that curb appeal. One of the most pressing concerns for homeowners is appearance. While some go the do-it-yourself path, for others, the cost of installation can be a barrier for consumers looking to level up their home security. Technical glitches aside, smart locks, like most other categories of tech products, come with the potential for hackers and concerns over battery life. So if the phone battery dies, as they are far too well known to do, you get locked out, perhaps from everything – the door, the car, their wallet, oh and the actual phone to call for help. And though a particular style of door lock and handle might eventually look dated, it doesn't face technological obsolescence.įor those who have adopted the digital pass to access most of the doors to their lives, they are at the mercy of their device. Regular door locks don't require software updates or battery replacement. Think about the possible scenarios born of forgetting to teach a house guest or the babysitter how to open your door, which has a daunting mechanism that looks more like a safe handle or smart speaker and nothing like an actual doorknob. Some challenges aren't as dramatic as a citywide blackout but equally inconvenient or even potentially dangerous. "Frankly, most of the young tenants who only use their smartphones were standing on the streets because the (smart key) system was down and (they) didn't carry mechanical keys to access the back stairwell," Pfahl said. Pfahl was among the 72,000 customers who lost power. In 2019, there was a massive power outage in New York City in some of the neighborhoods surrounding Times Square. Some have keypads with long security codes for when you don't have your smartphone or short-range Bluetooth signals that can pick up when you're nearby.īut will you really think it's all worth it if – and when – the tech malfunctions? When smart locks don't work They work with smartphones that most of us have, and you can program them to identify your best friend and let them in without you having to leave your seat. ![]() Online church: Ministries use VR, apps to deliver digital services and virtual baptismsįor those looking for a convenient way to monitor whether they remembered to lock up their home, smarter latches are an easy sell. How Jeff Bezos was reportedly hacked: Could you be next? With all of today's technological advancements making life "easier," it's sometimes easy to forget that there are pros and cons to switching to any new system. "We don't have on-site management, so if the power goes out, as it did once, you can't get access to your unit." It would either lock closed or lock open," Pfahl said. "We were concerned that if you lose power, the smart lock wouldn't work. Those who did have a smartphone had to keep it charged, otherwise they couldn't gain access to the lobby where mail and packages were stored, said Pfahl, a retired lawyer. So when her landlord modernized the building and installed a smart lock in 2018, she and several other residents over 65 were not thrilled about it.Ī few didn't own smartphones, so they were locked out of the entrance to elevators. Watch Video: The coolest smart home tech coming in 2020Ĭharlotte Pfahl, 68, prefers using an old-school mechanical key to access her New York City apartment. ![]()
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