Schlage modernizes its locks with a Wi-Fi adapter and Android

The Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt is no longer beholden to Apple. It'll now work with your Android smartphone, and you can buy a new $70 Wi-Fi adapter to check on your lock from afar. Before today, the lock only worked with iPhones, and you needed an Apple TV for remote functionality.

We liked the $230 Schlage Sense when we reviewed it two years ago, but it didn't work with as many platforms as the competition, and it's only lost ground in the time since. For comparison, the $230 August Smart Lock not only has Android and Apple apps, but you can also control the lock with your voice through the Amazon Echo, the Google Home and Siri through your iPhone. August has also had a Wi-Fi adapter since 2015.

Since Schlage is just now catching up on the basics, it still has a way to go to unseat August as our favorite smart lock. Still, the Android compatibility and Wi-Fi Adapter are welcome upgrades, even if they're long overdue.

With the Wi-Fi adapter, you'll be able to receive notifications and check on your lock remotely. You could do that before with the Apple TV as a hub, and other Schlage locks could sync with third-party hubs like SmartThings. The adapter will make it easier to get the full functionality of the smart device if you're not invested in a larger smart-home ecosystem.

The $70 Schlage Sense Wi-Fi Adapter is on sale now at THD.com, Lowes.com, Amazon.com and Build.com.