One of the Wallet features introduced in iOS 15 was support for home keys, which will let users add digital keys for compatible HomeKit door locks to the Wallet app on their iPhone and Apple Watch. With the system, users can take advantage of NFC connectivity to quickly unlock their home by simply bringing their device close to the lock.
Schlage today is introducing the Schlage Encode Plus Smart WiFi Deadbolt, which is the first smart lock in North America to support Apple's home key system.
The Encode Plus operates as a traditional HomeKit deadbolt, working over Wi-Fi without the need for a separate hub to integrate with the Home app across Apple's platforms. As part of the HomeKit setup process, however, you're also offered the option of adding a home key for the lock in the Wallet app.
With Apple's home key system, you won't need to unlock your iPhone or Apple Watch in order to unlock your door, and it supports Power Reserve so it will continue to function for up to five hours after your iPhone runs out of battery.
It is also a traditional keypad deadbolt with physical key backup, so there are multiple options for unlocking your door. Up to 100 access codes can be created to distribute to users who may need access to your home, and the codes can be scheduled to be valid only at certain times or revoked if no longer needed.
In addition to HomeKit and Apple home key support, the Encode Plus also features Google Assistant and Alexa support.
The Encode Plus will be priced at $299.99 and will launch this spring. It will be available in two versions, a more traditional Camelot style and a more modern Century style, with both styles available in several color options.
Thursday January 16, 2025 6:45 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today adjusted estimated trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models in the U.S., according to its website.
Some values increased, while others decreased. The changes were not too significant, with most values rising or dropping by $5 to $50.
We have outlined some examples below:
Device
New Value
Old Value
iPhone 15 Pro Max
Up to $630
U ...
Friday January 17, 2025 2:42 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
iOS 19 is still around six months away from being announced, but a new leak has allegedly revealed a completely redesigned Camera app.
Based on footage it obtained, YouTube channel Front Page Tech shared a video showing what the new Camera app will apparently look like, with the key change being translucent menus for camera controls. Overall, the design of these menus looks similar to...
Thursday January 16, 2025 12:39 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple provided the third beta of iOS 18.3 to developers today, and while the betas have so far been light on new features, the third beta makes some major changes to Notification Summaries and also tweaks a few other features.
Notification Summary Changes
Apple made multiple changes to Notification Summaries in response to complaints about inaccurate summaries of news headlines.
For...
Sunday January 19, 2025 6:58 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple on late Saturday removed TikTok from the App Store in the U.S., and it has now explained why it was required to take this action.
Last year, the U.S. passed a law that required Chinese company ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok due to potential national security risks, or else the platform would be banned. That law went into effect today, and companies like Apple and Google...
Wednesday January 15, 2025 7:16 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the "ultra-thin" device.
Overall, the "iPhone 17 Air" is shaping up to be a mixed bag. Due to its thinness, the device is expected to have some limited specifications compared to the iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, only a single speaker, no SIM...
Friday January 17, 2025 3:38 pm PST by Juli Clover
For the last several months, we've been hearing rumors about a redesigned version of the iPhone 17 that Apple might call the iPhone 17 "Air," or something along those lines. It's going to replace the iPhone 17 Plus as Apple's fourth iPhone option, and it will be offered alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
We know the iPhone 17 Air is going to be super slim, but...
Friday January 17, 2025 5:30 am PST by Joe Rossignol
2025 promises to be quite a big year for Apple, with the company rumored to be planning more than 20 product announcements this year.
Apple's rumored smart home hub will be its second all-new product to launch in as many years, following the Apple Vision Pro headset last year. And of course, we will get several new iPhone and Apple Watch models, like every year. Beyond that, Apple could...
The iPhone 17 lineup will feature a vapor chamber heatsink to improve thermal performance, according to a new report.
The news comes from Chinese tech news site MyDrivers, which claims that the entire iPhone 17 lineup, consisting of the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, will adopt the improved thermal heat spreader.
Vapor chamber technology is already used...
Someone will just break a window if they want in anyway. Still best to have a key handy in case your battery goes flat, or you break or lose your phone.
