NewImage
Lockitron has announced a new hardware product that attaches to most deadbolt locks and allows the door to be locked and unlocked via an app. It also takes advantage of Bluetooth 4.0 to unlock the door when a registered iPhone 4S or 5 approaches the door.

Lockitron previously had a lock that was a full replacement for the entire lock and handle making it nearly impossible to use for customers who rent. The new device attaches to a deadbolt without any permanent changes, allowing renters to use it. The company is positioning the device for tech-savvy consumers, as well as those looking to open the door for guests or AirBnB renters.

Users can unlock their doors via the Lockitron app, via an SMS message, or by using Bluetooth 4.0 to unlock it wirelessly.


The company is currently taking preorders for the $149 lock, though the company won't take payment until the device is ready. Lockitron expects the first 1,000 units will be ready for shipment in March of 2013.

Top Rated Comments

bigjobby Avatar
165 months ago
They get your phone, use the slide-up-to-camera to bypass your lock code, see you have the Lockitron app, find your name and address in Contacts, then ask Siri for directions to your home. Done.

One slight flaw to this theory... Maps.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
havenhamilton Avatar
165 months ago
So nice, until you lose your phone. Then just imagine if someone steals it.

what are the odds that someone steals your phone, figures out you use this product, finds out where you live and breaks in before you can get home and take it off?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ytk Avatar
165 months ago
So you just walk up to the door with your iPhone, and it uses Bluetooth 4.0 to connect and immediately unlock the door? How does it know you're approaching from the outside rather than the inside?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
UnseenLlama Avatar
165 months ago
what are the odds that someone steals your phone, figures out you use this product, finds out where you live and breaks in before you can get home and take it off?

That's why you should always passlock your iPhone.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mad Mac Maniac Avatar
165 months ago
don't forget your phone!
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tinmania Avatar
165 months ago
They get your phone, use the slide-up-to-camera to bypass your lock code, see you have the Lockitron app, find your name and address in Contacts, then ask Siri for directions to your home. Done.


Anyway, this sort of thing is nothing new. Any home automation system worth its salt has remote locks. The notification on door-knock is new (at least to me), but who ever knocks on doors anymore? You're better off with a smart doorbell.

Of course, they all have the same issue of losing your remote device, whatever it is, and it's not like somebody needs to go through your front door to get into your house. If you're going to go the home automation route, why not set up some motion sensors inside the house watching all your windows and doors, and tell the house when you come and go? Heck, you don't even have to bother locking your doors, and you'll know the minute somebody's in your house when you're away. Door locks are just a social contract. If somebody wants in, they don't need to steal your key, physical or digital.

Your first premise is false: that simply is untrue and will not work. You must enter the passcode to get to the home screen.

HOWER, they can simply tell Siri to "take me home" from the lock screen and Siri will do it. If "home" has not been learned they can ask Siri "who am I" and that will reveal the owner's name and address. Then they can ask Siri to take them there.

Finally, they can say "launch lockitron" to see if the app is installed. If Siri doesn't say "it doesn't look like you have an app named lockitron installed" but instead asks for passcode they will know it is installed. They can't run it but they now know you probably have that lock.

Odds of the person who found/stole your iPhone knowing all that, and also being a criminal who will rob someone's home? I'd say 1 in a billion.



Mike
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Battery Capacity and Weight Allegedly Revealed

Monday May 19, 2025 2:22 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air later this year, and while there have been plenty of rumors about the camera's overall design and thinness, we haven't heard any details about the device's weight and battery capacity until now. According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air has a weight ...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
iOS 18 Siri Personal Context

Apple Will Reportedly Be More Cautious About Announcing New Features Well in Advance

Sunday May 18, 2025 2:50 pm PDT by
Apple plans to mostly stop announcing new features more than a few months before they are ready to launch, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett. The pair of reporters revealed this noteworthy tidbit towards the bottom of a lengthy report about Apple's artificial intelligence shortcomings today. This alleged change in strategy comes after Apple was forced to delay its more...
Apple Intelligence General Feature

Report: Apple's Next-Gen Version of Siri Is 'On Par' With ChatGPT

Monday May 19, 2025 9:00 am PDT by
Apple has big plans to improve Siri over the next few years, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett report. Some Apple executives are now reportedly pushing to turn Siri into a true ChatGPT competitor. A next-generation, chatbot version of Siri has reportedly made significant progress during testing over the past six months; some executives allegedly now see it as "on par" with recent...