Yale smart locks get HomeKit integration with $75 module

As seen on the CES show floor, Yale's forthcoming module, like the green unit seen above, delivers HomeKit smarts to existing hardware by slipping into a control port on the Real Living Assure Lock and NexTouch Wireless Lock models. The two products were previously limited to the ZigBee and Z-Wave standards, but it seems Yale was thinking ahead and engineered the network processor to function as a modular design.

By replacing the standard processing module with a HomeKit version and proceeding through a pairing process, users are granted immediate access to Apple's smart home platform.

Since the module acts as a HomeKit "brain" to Yale's smart lock hardware, it offers an identical feature set as non-HomeKit models. For example, users can check on battery levels and lock status in the Home app or remotely unlock the mechanism with a Siri voice command.

Like other HomeKit-enabled products, Yale locks outfitted with the new module can be lumped into smart home macros, or scenes as Apple calls them. As an example, a user might set a scene that prompts connected lights to turn on, windows to open and locks to unlock when they enter a geofenced area around their house.

Yale's HomeKit module will sell for $75 when it launches in March, a somewhat pricey augmentation especially for homes with multiple locks. Still, it's more affordable than buying an entirely new lock mechanism, which sells for around $250 apiece.