Nuki Delivers With Matter Over Thread Smart Lock Update
After the initial teaser we reported over the weekend, Nuki officially announced what we were expecting; The new Nuki Lock 4.0 with Matter AND Thread. As with the previous (3.0) release just a shade over two years ago, the new model 4.0 comes in two versions – the standard model for €169.00 and the Pro model at €279. Both models will offer Thread connectivity, with the differences between the two being down to the use of better overall materials that make up the lock. However, despite offering Matter over Thread for connectivity, there’s also the option for connecting via WiFi. The Standard model can only achieve this with a separately purchased bridge, whilst the Pro model has the WiFi functionality built in. As was the case before, the lock is offered in black or white colourways, with White only offered in the standard model.
Prior to the addition of Thread, the previous models all used Bluetooth, and a rather old version at that, so this is a long overdue update that in fairness has probably been held back until Matter was ready. With this updated connectivity protocol, new customers will experience better battery life, as well as a more consistent and reliable connection.
This couldn’t have possibly come at a more crucial time for the company, given that not only are Matter and Thread the two things many discerning customers are looking for in future purchases but there’s going to be stiff competition on the horizon with the Aqara U200, due to come in 2024. That said, the full specs on the latter are yet to be fully confirmed, with Apple HomeKey still an unknown quantity.
Whilst this is the first smart lock with Thread for European users, it’s not the first worldwide, with the Schlage Encode Plus offering this at launch, despite the promotional materials not mentioning it at the time.
Finally, when it comes to Apple HomeKey, as we predicted this hasn’t been delivered for this lock, and we suspect this is due to the lock being only on the inside of the door (being a retrofit device), which would make it difficult to connect to the specific version of NFC used for HomeKey. This may also be a barrier to the Aqar U200 getting HomeKey.
The Nuki lock in both variants is available to purchase directly from Nuki’s own store now, with availability on Amazon in the coming days.
