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August arrives in Europe via accessory module for Yale’s smart locks

August arrives in Europe via accessory module for Yale’s smart locks

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The accessory first launched in the US last year

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The module will allow Yale’s European smart locks (pictured: right) to be compatible with August’s app platform (pictured: center).
The module will allow Yale’s European smart locks (pictured: right) to be compatible with August’s app platform (pictured: center).
Image: Yale

The August smart lock platform is coming to Europe via a new accessory module for sister company Yale’s range of smart locks. We first saw the module released in the US last year for Yale’s Assure smart locks, but now the module is coming to Europe where it will work with Yale’s Keyless, Conexis, Doorman, and Monoblock smart locks. Although it was called the “Connected by August” module in the US, the accessory will be called the “Yale Access Module” in Europe.

After you plug the module into the battery compartment of your existing Yale smart lock, you’ll get access to August’s full suite of features, including the ability to unlock your door using your phone, manage access to your home, track who’s coming and going, and also verbally lock your door using a voice assistant like Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant. August support also means the locks will now integrate with hosting platforms like Airbnb and HomeAway.

The module plugs into the battery compartment of the Yale smart lock.
The module plugs into the battery compartment of the Yale smart lock.
Photo by Jon Porter / The Verge

If you want remote access to your smart lock, then you’ll need the August Connect Wi-Fi bridge, which will be sold as the Yale Connect bridge in Europe. Yale says that all of the smart lock’s functionality will be controlled using its new Yale Access app (a rebranded version of the current August app), which will be available on iOS, Android, and Apple Watch.

This new app will replace Yale’s existing Conexis L1 app if you purchase the module. Yale’s existing app is nothing short of terrible, and it has struggled to function well since its pairing with Yale’s smart lock. Hundreds of Conexis owners have been complaining about the app locking them out of their houses for months, leading to a large number of 0-star reviews on sites like Amazon. Hopefully, the August integration helps, but it’s a shame that Yale smart lock owners will have to pay extra just to get a functioning app.

The challenge with bringing August to Europe is that the continent’s homes use a huge range of different locking mechanisms on their doors. Yale has already done a lot of work to make smart locks that are compatible with a range of locks across the continent’s different countries, so it was far easier to integrate August into this existing hardware at first, rather than starting from scratch with a new lock designed for Europe.

The module will be compatible with Yale’s Keyless, Conexis, Doorman, and Monoblock smart locks.
The module will be compatible with Yale’s Keyless, Conexis, Doorman, and Monoblock smart locks.
Image: Yale

Unfortunately, because the Yale Connect module takes up the lock’s small expansion slot, you won’t be able to use it alongside any of the company’s existing expansion modules like the Z-Wave Module 2.

Along with the access module, Yale is also announcing that it is expanding its pilot program with the UK supermarket Waitrose, which will now cover 800 homes across London. The pilot, which first launched last year, allows Waitrose delivery drivers to enter your home when you’re away and to place your food delivery directly into your kitchen.

Yale wasn’t ready to share exact pricing or a release date for the module. However, when I asked, a spokesperson said that the company was targeting a price of around €50 for the standalone module, which they said is “coming soon.”