Yale Launches Apple Home Key-Enabled Assure Lock 2 Plus

[NeonNights]

That's interesting. Our Yale lock has worked perfectly with iPhones, Apple Watch, and Android phones for over two years now, both over Bluetooth and with the WiFi bridge for remote access when away from home. I don't doubt that the Schlage is also excellent.

My past issues were actually with HomeKit. HomeKit didn't work well with our Ecobee smart thermostat and HomePod Mini so I never bothered connecting it to the Yale. The Yale app though has been rock solid for us and always accurate with the state of the lock.

 

[whsbuss]

That's interesting. Our Yale lock has worked perfectly with iPhones, Apple Watch, and Android phones for over two years now, both over Bluetooth and with the WiFi bridge for remote access when away from home. I don't doubt that the Schlage is also excellent.

My past issues were actually with HomeKit. HomeKit didn't work well with our Ecobee smart thermostat and HomePod Mini so I never bothered connecting it to the Yale. The Yale app though has been rock solid for us and always accurate with the state of the lock.

I also had the Yale lock WiFi connected with their add on module. Battery was less than 3 months with very light lock usage. My HomeKit has been working fine with my ecobee and Lutron bridge for lightning. Now with the Schlage WiFi connected (don’t have a thread router yet) I’m at 95% a month in.

 

[dontwalkhand]

I replaced my Yale with the Schlage encode plus… couldn’t be happier.

Does Schlage offer a lever? It’s the only way a smart lock would work with my security door, and I’m sick of the Yale never working when I get home.

 

[NeonNights]

I also had the Yale lock WiFi connected with their add on module. Battery was less than 3 months with very light lock usage. My HomeKit has been working fine with my ecobee and Lutron bridge for lightning. Now with the Schlage WiFi connected (don’t have a thread router yet) I’m at 95% a month in.

Maybe they finally ironed out Homekit bugs with ecobee. I remember being in a call with ecobee support and they couldn't figure the issue out either. I blamed HomeKit at the time because I could easily establish geofencing to work reliably through other services, such as Samsung SmartThings.

Back to our Yale with Wifi module, original alkaline batteries lasted 13 months and we lock/unlock it every time we leave the house, so probably a dozen or more cycles everyday. I then switched to Amazon/Eneloop rechargeable batteries and they last 9 months (at the 20% warning).

 

[whsbuss]

Maybe they finally ironed out Homekit bugs with ecobee. I remember being in a call with ecobee support and they couldn't figure the issue out either. I blamed HomeKit at the time because I could easily establish geofencing to work reliably through other services, such as Samsung SmartThings.

Back to our Yale with Wifi module, original alkaline batteries lasted 13 months and we lock/unlock it every time we leave the house, so probably a dozen or more cycles everyday. I then switched to Amazon/Eneloop rechargeable batteries and they last 9 months (at the 20% warning).

Well HomeKit hasn’t been stellar but it’s worked well. There were many issues besides battery life with the Yale. Communications with HomeKit was unreliable. Getting notifications failed many times. I also tried rechargeable batteries but still never eclipsed 3 months.

And it’s not like the WiFi router is a distance from my front door. It’s only 10 feet unobstructed. Before I installed the WiFi module I got better battery life, but I wanted scheduled access via their app.

In any case, the encode plus now gives me HomeKey capabilities that the new Yale just added on.

 

[Arran]

In any case, the encode plus now gives me HomeKey capabilities that the new Yale just added on.

HomeKey is what finally persuaded me to get a smart lock.

I wear an Apple watch and I can now open my front door as easily as my car.

Just the other day I was bringing grocery bags inside, in the rain, and my watch was buried under three thick layers of clothing. Just held my arm over the lock and I was in. Frictionless. Complete game changer.