Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology is coming to HomeKit

I’ve reviewed a number of smart locks over the years for HomeKit Weekly, from August’s Lock to the latest Level Lock Pro. They all solved the problem of you taking out your keys, but they never solved the problem of “my hands are full.” Even if you have Home Key, you’ll still need to insert your Apple Watch into your lock or take out your iPhone. Yes, most locks offer different flavors of automatic unlocking, but none are flawless and work 100% of the time. That’s the problem Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology aims to solve. This week, I’m taking an in-depth look at the Aqara UWB Smart Lock U400.

HomeKit Weekly is a series focused on smart home gadgets, automation tips and tricks, and everything related to Apple’s smart home framework.

What is UWB, and why is it important?

As I mentioned, most locks offer automatic unlocking. Built in Level Lock Pro. Lots of smart keys have it. It’s never 100% perfect, and frankly, it’s frustrating when it fails. Ultra-Wideband is the same technology used by Apple for accurate detection in AirTags. Aqara U400 uses this to understand your exact location as well guidance. It will likely be the standard used by all future smart keys.

Matter over Thread with Aqara U400

Aqara U400 is built on Matter over Thread. Serial is faster than Bluetooth and doesn’t put too much strain on your Wi-Fi network. Aqara U400 responds quickly to the home application. It also means that if you live in a “mixed” house with Android people, they can use Google Home or Amazon Alexa to control the locks while staying happy on HomeKit.

• Home Key: If you don’t want to use automatic unlock, you can still tap your iPhone or watch.
• Fingerprint Reader: A biometric scanner is built into the keypad.
• Pass code: A hidden touch screen keypad illuminates visitors. This is built in and controlled in the Home app.
• Body Key: Yes, it still has the key, and it’s usable again. If you want to match it with your existing house keys, you can too.

Power

Aqara has moved to a rechargeable lithium battery system here, which is rated for around 6 months per charge. I usually opt for regular AA batteries just for ease of swapping, but Aqara has put a USB-C port right into the key. This means that if you have a portable power bank, you can charge the lock without opening and unlocking the door. I like the fact that charging doesn’t require taking anything apart.

Wear on Aqara U400

I believe that Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology will be the new standard for smart locks. There’s a lot to like here. I would argue that the Aqara U400 and the new Level Lock Pro are the two gold standards on the market right now. I’d love to see pin code management come to the Home app. Between Home Key, pin code management, and Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology, Apple Home has become the best way to manage smart locks.

You can buy the Aqara U400 on Amazon.