Technology

This is the first smart lock to support ultra wideband

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The Ultraloq Bolt Mission UWB Plus NFC is the first smart lock to launch that leverages ultra wideband auto-unlocking technology. | Image: U-tec
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U-tec’s new smart lock will allow your door to unlock automatically as you approach it using ultra wideband (UWB) technology. The auto-unlock features that U-tec and others previously offered used a combination of BLE, Wi-Fi, and GPS, which can be unreliable and slow. The Ultraloq Bolt Mission UWB Plus NFC is the first smart lock to leverage UWB, which promises a simpler, faster, and more reliable experience.

In addition to UWB, the new lock works over Wi-Fi and Matter and can be unlocked with NFC. At launch, it will work with Android NFC-enabled phones, and U-tec says support for Apple’s Home Key tap-to-open feature will come once it’s available through Matter.

If you don’t want to use any of these newfangled methods of entry, the full deadbolt replacement smart lock also has a keypad for PIN access and uses a traditional key. It’s powered by eight AA batteries, which the company says will get one year of battery life. The Bolt Mission will arrive later this year, but no price has been announced.

The Ultraloq Bolt Mission will arrive later this year, and a version that supports Apple Home’s hands-free unlocking will be available in 2025.
The Ultraloq Bolt Mission will arrive later this year, and a version that supports Apple Home’s hands-free unlocking will be available in 2025.Image: U-tec

The same tech used in digital car keys, UWB allows your compatible phone or watch to talk directly to the lock at short distances and establish an instant secure connection. The wireless protocol also allows for precise location tracking using a combination of radar and ranging to know when you’re approaching the door from the correct angle (i.e., from outside the house and not the inside).

U-tec says the Ultraloq Bolt Mission uses both UWB and NFC technology “to determine their exact position relative to the lock, ensuring that only authorized users within a close range can unlock it.” The feature will be accessible through the U-tec app.

U-tec has a lock that works with Apple’s Home Key but says the new Bolt Mission will support Apple’s NFC unlocking option in the future.
U-tec has a lock that works with Apple’s Home Key but says the new Bolt Mission will support Apple’s NFC unlocking option in the future.Image: U-tec

Apple recently announced it will support UWB unlocking in smart locks in Apple Home with hands-free Home Key. This is part of the new Aliro smart access standard, but the Bolt Mission is a bit early for this since Aliro hasn’t launched yet.

While the lock won’t work with Apple Home’s hands-free unlocking feature, it will support Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and SmartThings for remote access and smart home control of the lock through Matter.

The company says the next version of the Bolt Mission, slated for early 2025, will support Aliro and Apple Home’s UWB unlocking.

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