TL;DR
- Yale is releasing its new Smart Lock with Matter support.
- The lock can be set up and operated entirely within Google Home.
- Operation requires the use of a Matter hub with a Thread border router.
How many times have you considered a new addition to your smart home, but stopped yourself at the last moment? Do I really need another app in my life? Another account I’ll have to create? App fatigue is a real thing, and with as many as we need to interact with on a daily basis, sometimes adding one more feels like just too much. Earlier this year, Yale introduced its Smart Lock with Matter, and unlike plenty of other smart locks, this one’s Matter support means you won’t need to download a separate app just to use it.
Smart home fans have been hearing about Matter for years, and while the standard has made big promises about streamlining interconnectivity, the actual Matter experience has proved a bit frustrating at times. Thankfully, that’s really starting to get better, and Yale’s new Smart Lock sounds like a perfect example of what doing Matter right looks like.
Even with smart home devices that you ultimately control through Google Home, initial setup often requires the manufacturer’s app. But with this new solution from Yale, you really can do it all straight through Google Home, from configuration to ultimate usage.
If you want to, you always have the option to connect over Bluetooth with the official Yale Access app, but consider that more an invitation than a requirement. And because everyone’s using Matter, you’re not stuck with Google Home, either, and can control the lock just as well with Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, or even Apple Home.
Like you’d only expect from a modern smart lock, Yale’s new entry supports features like creating guest passcodes, letting you enforce limits on how and when those can be used.
The one big asterisk here is that in order to tap into all this Matter-enabled smart home fun, you’re going to need the right hardware, and beyond the Yale lock itself, that means a Matter hub with a Thread border router. The good news is that there’s a fair chance you already have one: If you’ve got a Google TV Streamer, Nest Hub, or Nest Wi-Fi Pro router, you should be all set.
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