Heuristic Evaluation of August Wi-Fi Smart Lock
Before investing in a product, one would want to know as much about it as possible and if it is a viable option, would they not? This post will be an evaluation of the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock, a new variant of the typical deadbolt lock on doors. I do not currently own any August Wi-Fi Smart Lock’s. In order to fairly evaluate this product, I will be stepping back and assessing the system objectively as if I were doing my own personal research to aide in deciding whether or not to invest in the product. By definition, heuristic is “enabling someone to discover or learn something for themselves.” Some examples of what this post will provide to a reader through a heuristic evaluation are compatibility, ease of use, privacy/security, and potential. By the end of this post the reader will be able to make the decision of whether this system is a good investment for them. In addition to the examples listed above, the reader will see some of the key strengths and weaknesses of the system, including recommendations for changes to be made to the system, if any.
On March 27, 2022, the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock was given an “Outstanding” score of 4.5/5 on pcmag.com’s Editor’s Choice. Prior to this year’s model, the previous version of the smart lock was voted CNET Editor’s Choice two years in a row (2020/2021), Best Smart Lock by Good Housekeeping (2021), and Best Smart Lock by Tom’s Guide (2021). The smart lock comes in two colors: silver and matte black. For $199.99 you can get your August Wi-Fi Smart Lock, mounting hardware, and a set of two CR123 batteries to start you off with. You can also add product protection for one, two, or three years (prices may vary).
Now that you’ve read about the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock’s accolades, let’s learn about its…
Compatibility
- The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock installation takes less than 10 minutes. Simply install on the inside of your door over your existing deadbolt. Leave your outside lock alone and keep your existing deadbolt and keys. All August door locks are compatible with most single cylinder deadbolts. August’s website provides a hyperlink to “Check Compatibility” if you are unsure or want to confirm August’s compatibility with the door you want to install it on.
- In order to use August Wi-Fi Smart Lock, you will need to download the free August app for iOS or Android.
- Single-cylinder deadbolt lock.
- Wi-Fi internet connection.
Ease of Use
- The smart lock requires no additional hardware to connect to Wi-Fi, so you get full voice and remote access functionality.
- Simple, clean design to fit any home’s style.
- Intuitive design attaches right to the existing lock on the inside of your door so you can continue to use your existing keys.
- Renter friendly with minimal assembly.
- Auto-Lock automatically secures your front door once it’s closed or after a specified amount of time, for up to thirty minutes.
- Auto-Unlock knows you have returned home through geo-fencing and automatically unlocks the door.
- Control and manage your door with the August app on any iOS or Android smartphone or use your Apple watch to come and go.
- With the August app, remotely let anyone in when they arrive early or secure your door if someone forgets to lock when leaving.
- Compatible with Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, and Alexa.
Privacy/Security
- As long as you are in possession of your iOS or Android smartphone and/or Apple watch, you have your keys.
- Manage access to your home from anywhere. Send secure keys to friends, family, or people you trust instantly, all from the august app. Never hide keys or worry who has a copy.
- See exactly what time guests enter and leave your home, with August’s Activity Feed right on your app.
- Only August door locks have DoorSense, a sensor that tells you whether your door is securely closed and locked.
- If anything changes with the status of your door, you’ll be the first to know about it. Set smart alerts to notify you when someone comes or goes. August always tells you whether your door is left open, locked, and unlocked.
- August Smart Lock uses both Bluetooth Energy technology encryption and TLS in the mobile app.
- August products offer an added level of security by requiring users to verify their identity with a second form, either an email or phone number.
- If you lose your phone, quickly and easily disable your app and all virtual keys at any time on any of your associated devices at lostphone.august.com.
- Enable your smartphone’s fingerprint of facial verification for unlocking and locking your door.
Now that we have learned pretty much everything there is to know about the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock and seen a picture of what it looks like, let’s discuss its potential. As a result of not owning and using August’s Smart Lock, nothing comes to mind when thinking about things that the product already has that I would change. That being said, as a reader myself, because I’m learning about the product for the first time as well, there is something I think that August can implement to improve their Smart Lock.
Potential
- The current version of the August Smart Lock attaches only to the inside of the door for greater ease of use and installation. However, the functionality will improve if consumers are willing to install a hypothetical second part on the outside of the door. If this were implemented, August could add a biometric facial recognition or fingerprint recognition system to the outside of the door. My thought is that you would be able to program the smart lock to recognize your face or fingerprints when you approach the door, or touch the lock. This will aide in accessibility say when your hands are full of groceries or your phone is in your pocket.
Like I said, I don’t own an August Smart Lock, and I don’t believe anyone in the class does either. After some feedback, I have decided to go to the Amazon reviews for the product to learn more about customer experiences with the product. One customer said, “…the August App is clumsy and does not always connect with the lock. After many attempts, the integration with the HomeKit and Alexa could not be performed.” This immediately tells me that there are some flaws with the mobile application and how productive it is as connecting to the lock. This is definitely something that Augustcan work on as they deliver new generations of the product. Many other customers have similar complaints in the capacity of connecting to your home’s wi-fi network. The lock seems to work fine regarding the pairing of the application within 10 feet or so of the home. As we all probably know, the further away from your modem you get, the worse the connection is. Considering the lock connects through that same wi-fi connection, you need to be relatively close to the lock to get it to work. If I were a user, I’d hope to unlock my door with the app from down the street (say, if I have stuff to carry in and my hands will be full).
In all honesty, when I own a home, I will highly consider the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock on my front door. After conducting thorough research on the product, I find it to be an extremely viable option for adding easy security to my home. By the time that happens, I expect August to take all customer reviews into consideration and make some changes. Only at that point will they earn my investment. As a note to the reader, I would greatly appreciate any comments you may have regarding this product after learning about it with me. Whether you agree or disagree with my opinion on the product, have things you have thought of to add to the “potential” section, or think August has done too much and want to remove features, anything and everything is appreciated. Hope you enjoyed!
