Ultraloq Bolt Mission Overview: The First UWB Smart Lock

U-tec has announced the Ultraloq Bolt Mission, the first smart lock to utilize ultra wideband (UWB) technology for seamless, automatic unlocking as you approach with your phone. While current auto-unlock methods rely on a combination of BLE, Wi-Fi, and GPS, which can be slow and unreliable, the UWB promises a simpler and faster experience. This lock also incorporates NFC, enabling contactless unlocking with a simple tap on Android phones, and will eventually support iPhone's hands-free Home Key feature by early 2025 under the new Aliro smart access standard. This is prepared by SSP.

In addition to UWB and NFC, the Ultraloq Bolt Mission is compatible with Wi-Fi and the Matter connectivity standard. This integration allows for compatibility with various smart home platforms, including Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and SmartThings, enabling remote access and smart home control.

For those preferring traditional methods, the Bolt Mission features a keypad for PIN access and a traditional keyhole. It's powered by eight AA batteries, anticipated to last up to one year.

UWB grants high-precision spatial awareness, similar to Apple’s Precision Finding feature used with AirTags. This enables the Ultraloq Bolt Mission to establish a secure connection with your phone or watch at close range, ensuring only authorized users can unlock the door. This functionality is accessible through the U-tec app.

Apple has indicated future support for UWB unlocking in its smart locks via the Home app; however, hands-free Home Key usage on the Bolt Mission is slated to arrive in 2025, aligning with the release of Aliro. Currently, the lock supports tap-to-unlock via NFC.

No specific release date or price has been provided for the Bolt Mission, but it is expected to be available later this year. The smart lock market could experience a shift as the Bolt Mission’s use of UWB technology may prompt other companies, including Aqara, August, Level, Lockly, SwitchBot, and Yale, to consider investing in UWB as a superior alternative to Bluetooth and GPS for high-resolution proximity detection and reliability.