SwitchBot launched what it calls the world’s first retrofittable smart lock with facial recognition at a special event today. Dubbed the SwitchBot Lock Ultra Vision, it overcomes the challenges of fingerprint recognition in the Lock Pro Touch Combo, launched by the company in 2024. Employing the same 3D facial recognition technology used by iPhone, the lock is Matter and Home Assistant compatible, expanding its spectrum beyond the obvious connectivity.
By pairing advanced keypad vision with Lock Ultra for an unparalleled entry experience in Lock Ultra Vision, SwitchBot has given us one more reason to upgrade to an automation experience that feels natural. According to SwitchBot co-founder Richard, the “essence of smart living is automation that feels natural,” and that’s exactly what the new lock system intends to achieve, ensuring you are never left out because of a different hairstyle, wearing makeup, or because your wet fingerprints can’t be read. You just approach the lock and it opens regardless of the light condition or weather.
The Lock Ultra Vision takes privacy seriously, so it has been equipped with AES-128 bank-level data encryption. According to SwitchBot, this ensures that the user’s fingerprints and facial data are stored locally and never uploaded to the cloud. In the launch video demonstration, Richard also shows the lock’s success against unauthorised access using photos and video.
The new smart lock has a face recognition range of 1.2-2 meters, meaning everyone from a kid to a tall adult can be recognized conveniently, with almost 10 times faster response time from the lock. The convenience of the Lock Ultra Vision can remain uninterrupted for up to a year courtesy of its three-tier battery system. The rechargeable battery can last between 9 to 12 months, while the secondary CR123A backup battery can run it for 5 years or so. SwitchBot assures that the lock can function without the rechargeable battery, as the micro-electrolytic unlock feature can support emergencies.
Also Read: SwitchBot is Changing Smart Home Automation in More Ways Than One
For additional convenience, the Lock Ultra Vision is easy to install (no drilling or breaking necessary) and is compatible with almost all European and North American lock types. It has an interesting feature that makes the opening mechanism ultra-quiet during nighttime. If, for some reason, the 3D facial recognition were to fail, the lock supports 17 additional unlock methods, including fingerprint sensor, geofencing-based auto unlock, NFC card, app control, and more.
The SwitchBot Lock Ultra Vision is provided with wooden overlays to customize the lock to match your door and style. The lock will be available on SwitchBot’s official website and Italian Amazon store for €299.99 (approximately $340). SwitchBot has also released a new Matter-enabled smart home control hub – the SwitchBot Hub 3 – which can integrate with over 100,000 infrared devices, streaming TVs, and the SwitchBot ecosystem. It will be sold for €129.99 ($150).
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