August and Yale Home have launched a new feature on their respective apps that allows users to set up biometric verification for any remote unlock/lock operation for all August Smart Locks and Yale Assure Locks and Levers with Wi-Fi. This new feature is meant to provide customers with increased protection, peace of mind, and ease of use over all remote locking operations to their homes.
[3/17/21 Update: This feature is now available for Bluetooth operations.]
When the “Secure Remote Access” feature is turned on, the app will use the customer’s phone’s built-in authentication tools to prompt fingerprint or facial recognition before they can unlock or lock their home remotely (note: if their phone does not have these features, it will prompt them to use their PIN code). This further ensures that the door is only operated by the right people at the time they intend for it.
This feature currently only applies to operations done via Wi-Fi or mobile data (not Bluetooth), so it will only work for customers with an August Wi-Fi Smart Lock or a Connect Wi-Fi Bridge (alongside an August lock or Yale Assure Lock/Lever with Wi-Fi) at this time. Customers will be able to opt into this security feature, and it will not be enacted when checking the lock status in order to preserve a seamless app experience.
In addition to the new biometric verification feature, August and Yale are also introducing a new “Hide Entry Codes” feature that hides entry codes within the app. Customers will only be able to view them temporarily after passing phone authentication, providing further peace of mind around August and Yale smart locks.
The new app features are available now on iOS and Android on the August and Yale Access apps.
