Smart lock maker August today announced an upcoming product -- the August Smart Lock Pro. Unlike the Bluetooth-enabled first- and second-gen August Smart Locks, the Pro version has Z-Wave smarts. And, as its name suggests, the August Smart Lock Pro will only be available through approved dealers.

I know, I know, vendor-only availability is kind of annoying, but August says it's for a good reason. Since so many of today's automation and security devices rely on Z-Wave, a dealer-approved connected lock should allow August to partner with even more smart home manufacturers.

Couldn't the same be said for the DIY smart home market, though? Plenty of Z-Wave devices are sold on Amazon and through other mainstream retailers. I can already think of non-dealer devices I'd want to connect to August's Smart Lock Pro -- the Piper NV, the Abode security system and tons of one-off smart plugs and other accessories.

When I reached out to August for a deeper explanation, a representative simply told me, "The Pro channel is an important part of our business and we wanted to provide a product that would help pro installers and integrators continue to grow their business."

The announcement of August's new Z-Wave lock coincides with improved security standards for Z-Wave products. The new "Security 2," or S2 framework is supposed to help safeguard devices that might be vulnerable to botnet attacks and other potential security concerns.

"Yes, our support for Z-Wave is directly correlated to Z-Wave's new S2 framework," said August CEO Jason Johnson. "We've been interested in supporting Z-Wave for more than two years. Security is our highest priority so we are excited about the S2 standard and being able to deliver a new Z-Wave-based product."

The Smart Lock Pro is slated to reach August's list of of approved dealers this fall. We'll update you as soon as we get more details. August did tell us the lock should be roughly comparable to its $229 (£150 and AU$315, converted) Smart Lock in terms of cost.

Source:
courtesy of CNET

by Megan Wollerton

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