Apple Begins Selling Danalock V3, First Retrofit HomeKit-Enabled Smart Lock Available in Europe

Friday June 15, 2018 7:46 AM PDT by Joe Rossignol
Danalock today announced that the HomeKit version of its Danalock V3 smart lock is now available for purchase from Apple's website and retail stores in more than 20 other countries across Europe, after limited availability in April.


Danalock V3 is said to be the first and only retrofit smart lock compatible with Apple's HomeKit platform and Home app in Europe. Like the August Smart Lock, it is mounted on the inside of the door, enabling users to use a regular key for locking and unlocking the door from the outside if needed.


HomeKit support means users can control the lock with Siri voice commands or the Home app using an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch, without needing a physical key. Through the Home app, it's also possible to give keyless access to family members.

For added convenience, users can connect the Danalock with other HomeKit accessories, such as cameras, lights, thermostats, switches, and security systems.

Apple's online store notes that the Danalock V3 is easy to install and globally compatible, with an adjustable cylinder set included in the box in countries outside of Scandinavia. It is battery powered and uses advanced AES-256 encryption.

Danalock V3 with HomeKit is available at select Apple retail stores in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. It's also available on Apple's online store in more than 20 countries in Europe and on Danalock's website.

Pricing: £219.95 in the United Kingdom and €249.95 in most other European countries.

Tags: HomeKit Guide, Europe
34 comments


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originalmagneto
11 months ago

Just curious... why was the August lock not available in Europe?


Because of the “deadbolt” nature of the lock, which is not a standard in Europe and the insurance companies in the EU would not insure a property that has only a deadbolt lock. that’s why.
Rating: 7 Votes
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patjem
11 months ago
Would it accept "hey Sire open the front door" when someone would shout that through the mailbox opening and your HomePod is listening?
Rating: 6 Votes
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martyjmclean
11 months ago

Think I’ll stick to one of those old fashioned ‘lock and keys’.

Good thing you can use keys in a smart lock.
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
name99
11 months ago

Had a V2.

Was so not impressed.

Mediocre build quality, pairing problems galore, geofence not reliable and opening the door randomly.
Not opening the door upon approach. Not opening. SLOW.

Oh, and you have to go via their servers.

Good idea, shoddy implementation.


The design of these locks is SO STUPID right now.
The right way to do this is to detect an Apple Watch-specific signature by (close) presence --- the way the presence of an Apple Watch unlocks a mac. Add the other stuff (opening via HomeKit, so that remote opening is possible) if you have to, but the DEFAULT operation should be that I walk up to the door and it opens for me --- no nonsense with taking out my phone, launching an app on my watch, or anything else.

I don't know why these lock companies are so stuck in the past. Do they not have a single intelligent person on their staffs? Are they not at least vaguely familiar with how employee entrance cards work in corporate environments, and how THAT (only done even better) should be what they are emulating?
Rating: 4 Votes
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nibfiledotcom
11 months ago
Just curious... why was the August lock not available in Europe?
Rating: 3 Votes
Avatar
miniroll32
11 months ago
Think I’ll stick to one of those old fashioned ‘lock and keys’.
Rating: 3 Votes
Avatar
nekonokami
11 months ago
Had a V2.

Was so not impressed.

Mediocre build quality, pairing problems galore, geofence not reliable and opening the door randomly.
Not opening the door upon approach. Not opening. SLOW.

Oh, and you have to go via their servers.

Good idea, shoddy implementation.
Rating: 2 Votes
Avatar
stop-hammertime
11 months ago

Would it accept "hey Sire open the front door" when someone would shout that through the mailbox opening and your HomePod is listening?


No. HomePod and Apple TV cannot unlock "secure accessories".
[doublepost=1529114645][/doublepost]

The design of these locks is SO STUPID right now.
The right way to do this is to detect an Apple Watch-specific signature by (close) presence --- the way the presence of an Apple Watch unlocks a mac. Add the other stuff (opening via HomeKit, so that remote opening is possible) if you have to, but the DEFAULT operation should be that I walk up to the door and it opens for me --- no nonsense with taking out my phone, launching an app on my watch, or anything else.

I don't know why these lock companies are so stuck in the past. Do they not have a single intelligent person on their staffs? Are they not at least vaguely familiar with how employee entrance cards work in corporate environments, and how THAT (only done even better) should be what they are emulating?


Auto lock and unlock works fine on my August. Implementations like HID ProxCard isn't necessarily appropriate for the home: My two tweens doesn't have Apple Watches, and their friends are free to come and go through my unlocked door during the day.
Rating: 2 Votes
Avatar
ILikeAllOS
11 months ago

Think I’ll stick to one of those old fashioned ‘lock and keys’.

Think I'll avoid those old fashioned ‘lock and keys’ that can be bypassed using a simple bumpkey or snap gun. :rolleyes:
Rating: 2 Votes
Avatar
timborama
11 months ago
Can they make it any bigger?!? I don’t really want some massive steel hockey puck stuck to my door.
Rating: 2 Votes
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