The attractive Friday Smart Lock trims off the bulk found on many other smart deadbolts and still manages to pack in plenty of features. Currently it's only going to be shipped in the US and Scandinavia, but given that it's designed to work with Thread for Google and Nest, as well as Apple's upcoming HomeKit, Friday looks poised to be a key -- or keyless -- part of a larger smart home.
With both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi built in, the Friday Smart Lock offers remote functionality via an iOS or Android app, as well as a Web dashboard. You should be able to lock and unlock your door from anywhere, and Bluetooth will help with geofencing so it can automatically unlock when you get close.
Attractive possibilities
The Friday Smart Lock should not only unlock when you get close, but should also be able to tell your Nest Thermostat you're home so it can adjust the temperature accordingly. Alternatively, you can tell Siri to unlock the door or have your Friday lock signal the lamp you have plugged into a HomeKit-compatible switch to turn on. With Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and a foot in both Apple's and Google's smart home camps, it's ready to be broadly functional.
Most impressive might be how tech startup Friday Labs and the architects of Bjarke Ingels Group managed to squeeze all of those radios into a neat and tidy package that looks no more ostentatious than an ordinary deadbolt. You'll be able to pick from four outer shells when purchasing a Friday lock to allow it to blend further into your decor.
Crowdfunding specifics
Friday Labs launched an Indiegogo campaign earlier this week to help fund production. You can contribute now and take advantage of early bird offers. The lock will cost $249 at retail, but a few $99 packages are left. Shipping is free in the US.
Overseas, it looks like the lock will only be available in Scandinavia at launch for 269 euro with an additional $50 for shipping and VAT. For our readers in the UK and Australia, the US price converts to approximately £170 and AU$330.
The Friday lock is installed on the inside of a door, using your existing deadbolt and its outside component. Thus, tech-phobic family members will still be able to lock and unlock it the old-fashioned way. For guests, you can issue digital keys via the app. According to the Indiegogo campaign, the Friday will fit on most US single-cylinder deadbolts as well as most Scandinavian deadbolts.
Sizing up the competition
If the Friday's features work as planned, it could be one of the best smart deadbolts out there. The August Smart Lock is our current favorite, with a similarly simple design that uses your existing bolt. It too has Bluetooth, and it can access Wi-Fi with a separate accessory. The August also is on Apple's list of HomeKit-compatible products.
Side by side, the August looks much bulkier than the Friday, though we still thought the design quite appealing. It makes one wonder what exactly Friday Labs trimmed down to get its product so much smaller. Just about every feature of August's works great. I'll hope that Friday didn't put form over functionality to the extent that the lock would end up with more lag or glitches.
Battery life is one possible issue. A representative from Friday Labs claims a single lithium ion battery will last a year. That would be plenty to avoid undue inconvenience, but the Friday lock needs to use that power for quite a few different radios.
The August manages about a year on four AA batteries, but it partly achieves that longevity by placing its Wi-Fi in a separate hub accessory. The Friday has no need for an extra accessory to connect to Wi-Fi, and that's good, but hopefully it can actually hold a charge under the extra drain.
August avoids most of the issues of the complex, glitchy smart home, setting a high bar for Friday. That said, even the August smart lock lagged on occasion with the geofencing feature, leaving just enough room for Friday to best it not only on looks, but also performance if it manages to get everything right.
Outlook
Friday Labs is saying all of the right things with the launch of this smart lock. It will need to follow through on most of its promises to even contend in the increasingly competitive smart home field. If it does, however, the Friday Smart Lock has the potential to be a standout.
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