X

Yale expands its Assure touchscreen locks, partners up with Ring and Arlo

Yale adds a new lock to its line-up and expands its hooks to other popular home security ecosystems. It also deepens ties with sister company August.

Rich Brown Former Senior Editorial Director - Home and Wellness
Rich was the editorial lead for CNET's Home and Wellness sections, based in Louisville, Kentucky. Before moving to Louisville in 2013, Rich ran CNET's desktop computer review section for 10 years in New York City. He has worked as a tech journalist since 1994, covering everything from 3D printing to Z-Wave smart locks.
Expertise Smart home, Windows PCs, cooking (sometimes), woodworking tools (getting there...)
Rich Brown
2 min read
yrl-0bp-academylever-int-rt
Yale

Smart lock maker Yale has a lot of news to discuss here at CES . Yes, it has a new lock, but it's the ties to other smart home ecosystems that might be of the most interest.

The new lock is the Assure Lever Lock, a new entrant in its keyless smart lock line. Joining the deadbolt-compatible Assure Lock SL, the Assure Lever Lock is aimed at doors that lack a deadbolt -- the company offers basement and side doors as examples. As a member of the Assure line, it uses a digital touchpad to control access. It has no traditional keyway, and by virtue of swappable wireless modules, you can integrate it into either a Z-Wave, Zigbee or August Smart Lock-compatible smart home ecosystem. 

Pricing for the Assure Lever Lock lands between $150 and $300 when it launches this spring, depending on the connection module. Beyond that single lock, Yale's new partnerships with Ring and Arlo maybe of more general interest to smart home enthusiasts. 

The smart home security cameras of CES 2019

See all photos

For all of its Real Living Smart Locks, including the Assure line, Yale is adding an integration with the Ring Alarm home security system. If you tie the lock into the Ring security system, you can disarm it simply by unlocking your Yale lock. Yale sister company August will also tie in with Ring Alarm via its August Smart Lock Pro, which gets the integration later this year. 

On the Arlo side, Yale is building ties to the newly announced Works with Arlo smart home ecosystem, and you'll be able to control your Yale lock from within the Arlo app itself.

For fans of consumer choice and flexibility, these cross-platform integrations are welcome in the smart home. The more products from different companies work together, the less risk that you'll hit a dead end when you're trying to automate functions between different devices in your home.

The risk is that with more points of access into a network, the more potential there is for systems to fail or for bad actors to find a way in.

Watch this: Put an August brain in your Yale smart lock with this kit

All the cool new gadgets at CES 2019

See all photos

CES 2019: See all of CNET's coverage of the year's biggest tech show.

CES 2019 schedule: It's six days of jam-packed events. Here's what to expect.