Ever Trend Zone CES 2025: Touted as the world’s first UWB smart lock
Early last year, Silicon Valley smart home specialist . Smart lock that will have a fingerprint reader.
And now, at CES 2025 in Las Vegas, the Union City brand returns with another first: Bolt Mission UWB+NFC, the first smart lock compatible with ultra-wideband (UWB) technology.
Much like the technology found in car keys, we’re told UWB will offer a more reliable hands-free unlocking experience compared to existing methods that rely on Bluetooth, GPS or Wi-Fi.
Ultra-wideband is a wireless protocol that operates at high frequencies, allowing devices to communicate and track precise location over short distances.
This allows the lock to accurately detect when an authorized user approaches, unlocking automatically and securely. And the lock can also detect if the user is on the outside side of the door, so it won’t unlock the door every time someone walks down the hallway near the door, for example.
Ultraloq claims that this makes Bolt Mission more efficient than previous automatic unlocking methods, which can often be slow or inconsistent.
Ultraloq Bolt Mission also supports NFC unlocking, with support for Android devices at launch.
Along with its next-generation features, the lock also offers touch-to-unlock NFC (Android only, for now) and more traditional entry options, including a keypad for PIN codes and a key slot for manual use.
The smart lock integrates with major smart home platforms, such as Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings.
Although Apple recently announced support for hands-free UWB unlocking in HomeKit, the first version of the Bolt Mission will not support that functionality.
A later version, expected by the end of the year, will support the Matter and Aliro standards, allowing integration with Apple’s Home Key.
It will cost $399 and will go on sale in the first quarter of this year.
The Bolt Fingerprint Matter is on sale now and costs $199.
For clarity, Ultraloq used to be under the U-tec brand, but is now a direct brand of the Xthings family.
