• Fourth generation of Nuki: Focus of Smart Lock and Smart Lock Pro on extended battery life and easier integration into leading smart home systems.
• First time the connectivity standard has been fully integrated into the product: Matter-enabled door lock from Nuki requires neither Bridge nor module.
• Yet another product innovation from Nuki: Along with its new electronic door locks, the Smart Lock pioneer from Graz, Austria, also launches the Keypad 2 Pro.

What sets pioneers apart? For starters, they don’t just stop at innovative ideas – they make them a reality, which is exactly what Nuki Founders Martin and Jürgen Pansy are now doing. In fall 2022, the European market leader for smart, retrofittable access solutions announced the first devices that would support the new connectivity standard Matter established by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) for the second half of 2023. Exactly one year later, the time has come: When users are installing the Smart Lock to the inside of their door, in their hands is the fourth generation of Nuki’s renowned electronic door lock – and for the first time, it can speak Matter, the universal language of the smart home.

“Over the past few months, the entire team has been working vigorously and at full steam to be able to offer Matter support to Nuki customers as quickly as possible. We are extremely excited that with our new Smart Lock and Smart Lock Pro, we are able to make yet another contribution to making the access to one's own home as smart, simple, and secure as possible,” says CEO Martin Pansy. Nuki has always been a pioneer in the integration into smart home systems. After all, the Austrian company’s Smart Locks have already been compatible with the most important smart home ecosystems from Amazon, Apple, and Google. With the new Matter-enabled devices, however, the company is taking things a step further and making integration even easier.

With the launch of its Matter-enabled Smart Locks, the Austrian company also sees itself as a technological pioneer beyond Europe’s borders. Chief Innovation Officer Jürgen Pansy adds: “We are the world’s first Smart Lock to fully integrate Matter into the product. No Bridge or module is required, and parallel use with manufacturers’ apps is possible without limitations.”

The fourth generation of Nuki retains its iconic design and its availability in black and white. The electronics and software, on the other hand, are completely new. This makes Matter and the therefore easier integration with leading smart home systems possible. The longer average battery life is also new: The two new Smart Locks can be used for up to six months, which translates to an improved battery life of around 30 percent. This also provides added benefits for users of Nuki Smart Hosting: For rental property owners who often manage their vacation properties remotely, having to charge less frequently further reduces the required time and/or costs associated with charging.

Currently, Matter still often seems somewhat intangible for the broad target audience. However, according to Martin Pansy, “The connectivity standard ensures that, in a smart home, people’s everyday lives become even easier and safer, based on the fundamental principles of simplicity, reliability, security, and cross-manufacturer compatibility. And who wouldn’t want that? Therefore, Matter is definitely of relevance to those who are not technologically inclined.” But what does that mean exactly? How does the connectivity standard make one’s everyday life in a smart home easier and more secure? Nuki’s Matter-enabled Smart Locks rely on modern connectivity and communicate via Thread. This technology, developed specifically for battery-powered smart devices, ensures that a smart home responds more quickly to commands than via Bluetooth. At the same time, the power requirements of Thread are significantly lower than those of Wi-Fi at a similar range. Each person in a household can connect to the smart home using the platform of their choice. Matter-enabled devices communicate locally via hubs – sensitive data never leaves the home. In addition, the activation of the connectivity standard via QR code scan can be completed within minutes.

Both the Smart Lock and the Smart Lock Pro use Matter via Thread. Using this technology, the Nuki Smart Lock will also be equipped with the remote access feature for “Nuki Apps & Services” without the need for an additional Bridge as part of a firmware update early 2024. Apple’s Matter hubs will then support this feature; other manufacturers are still working on it. The Matter-enabled Smart Lock Pro already includes remote access via Thread for “Nuki Apps & Services”, while the fourth-generation starter model can be updated for an additional charge.

The firmware update early next year will also provide Nuki users with the Matter feature that distinguishes between “Open door” (including pulling the latch) and “Unlock”. This feature has been integrated into the Matter protocol since the release of the connectivity standard’s specification 1.2 in mid-October 2023. As part of its commitment to the CSA, Nuki advocated strongly for the European market and played a key role in incorporating this third lock action, essential for European locks, into the Matter standard. For the launch of the new generation of Nuki, the Matter integration can display two lock commands (Lock and Unlock), the status, and the device’s battery status.

The new Smart Lock Pro with included Power Pack and integrated Wi-Fi module costs 279 euros, the new Smart Lock 169 euros. For those who already own an electronic door lock from Nuki, there are options to upgrade: The Smart Lock Pro together with the Keypad 2 costs only 299 euros (savings of 80 euros related to the normal bundle price). For existing users the fourth-generation Smart Lock (169 euros) comes with free remote access for “Nuki Apps & Services” through a compatible Matter hub, which is to be released via firmware update early 2024. Non-existing customers can purchase this remote access for a one-time fee of 39 euros.

Last year, Nuki introduced its first fingerprint Keypad. “The Keypad 2 was one of the most successful product launches in Nuki’s history. With the Pro version, we are now taking this product to the next level,” explains Martin Pansy. The Keypad 2 Pro features a high-quality stainless steel front and the ability to be mounted seamlessly in the wall or on the door. As with the Keypad 2, up to 20 fingerprints and 200 individual entry codes can be assigned. Both Matter-enabled Smart Locks are compatible with the new Keypad, which is available for 349 euros. By the way, the same applies to Keypads 1 and 2, the Door Sensor, the Power Pack, the Bridge, and the Fob.

With Matter as the universal communication standard, the new era of the smart home is being ushered in. In addition to Nuki, over 600 other companies in the smart home sector are part of the underlying organization CSA, including major players like Apple, Google, and Amazon. Additional device types will continue to be added with the planned semi-annual updates by Matter. In the coming years, it can be expected that more and more manufacturing companies will adopt the standard and that Matter will thereby become the new uniform smart home standard around the world. “As pioneers in the smart home sector, it was not only important for us to be part of the Matter movement from the very beginning – it would have been unthinkable not to be. It’s all the more rewarding that we can now live up to our role as pioneers with the first Matter-enabled devices. But of course, that’s no reason to just sit back and kick our feet up. We will continue to actively contribute to the CSA, advocate for the interests of European customers, and further develop our own products and services,” emphasizes Martin Pansy in conclusion.