Nuki announces the upcoming arrival of its latest connected lock, the Smart Lock Ultra. If this is indeed its fifth generation, the Austrian company wanted to mark the occasion by changing the product name and forgetting the number. And for good reason, this new version is three times more compact than the old models, while being three times faster. Sold at €349 associated with a now obligatory universal cylinder, it raises the tone in terms of finishing with an even more high-end product, designed almost entirely in steel, and a much more elegant design.
The manufacturer sent me a copy, which I have been testing on my front door for a few weeks. A full test of the new product will be published for members of the iGen Club this evening, but if you are hesitant to take the plunge, here are the main points to remember. Nuki focused on the hardware by offering a much more compact and premium lock, while keeping the same functionalities of the Smart Lock Pro 4.0 released last year. It is therefore compatible with Matter via Thread to add it in particular to the Home app, while also integrating Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to meet all needs.
This new lock also maintains compatibility with the Nuki ecosystem and all the manufacturer's accessories can be associated with the Smart Lock Ultra. Which means that there is no solution at this stage to use the NFC chip of your iPhone or Apple Watch to open the lock, as Aqara has been offering since the summer with its U200. However, Nuki had a second announcement to make: the manufacturer has planned a new numeric keypad for 2025 which will offer this functionality!
Let us clarify from the outset that this will be a hardware update, the current Keypad 2 not having an NFC chip, essential for communication with the smartphone or watch. If Nuki is late in this area, it is still for good reason: the manufacturer will be the first to offer this function thanks to Aliro, a standard created by the alliance behind Matter. Presented at the end of 2023, the project should be completed in 2025 with support planned by Apple, Google and other major players in home automation. Which means that the door can also be opened by approaching a smartphone or a connected watch running Android, while the Home key function is strictly reserved for the Apple world.
The alliance behind Matter presents Aliro, a standard for connected locks
The Smart Lock Ultra will naturally be compatible with this upcoming numeric keypad, which means that ultimately, it will also be compatible with the home key function. If it interests you, know that you will be able to order it from the beginning of December, at the price of €349. You can leave your email address on the Nuki website to find out when it will be released.
For everything else, see you at the end of the day for our complete test…
Updated 11/12/2024 4:06 p.m. : Nuki confirmed to me that the future Keypad compatible with Aliro will also integrate a UWB chip! This will perhaps make it the first manufacturer to adopt the new hands-free mode that Apple introduced into its universe with iOS 18: it will not be necessary to approach your iPhone or Apple Watch, you will just have to have it with you so that the lock opens automatically when you approach.
