Yale Assure Lock Deadbolts Can Now Be Unlocked With Alexa Voice Control

Yale locks expanded its Alexa support Tuesday, saying Assure Lock deadbolts can be unlocked by voice when used with a compatible smart home hub or an Amazon Echo Plus with a Zigbee-based Assure Lock. The capability adds to the existing voice control capabilities to secure Z-Wave and Zigbee-enabled door locks and check status, said Yale. The unlock feature is turned off by default and is enabled when users provide Amazon credentials using the Alexa app. For voice unlock, users are prompted to set a four-digit voice code and then asked by Alexa to say the code to unlock, said the company. Alexa will complete the unlock request only when the correct voice code is provided; unlocking can also be done directly from the Alexa app. Last week, Schlage announced Alexa voice unlock capability for two deadbolts (see 1805100052 or 1805100071).