Having redefined the way smart locks are designed and engineered, Level Home Inc. is wasting no time in disrupting the status quo once again with the introduction of the Level Touch. It’s a new smart lock that takes the same hidden design approach as the Level Lock, but adds more ways of unlocking through the use of credit card-sized NFC cards or simply by touching the lock.
Smart locks are distracting with their keypads situated outside your door. The Level Lock gives homeowners an alternative that blends in with the natural look of your door. Improving upon the miniaturization tech that Level established with its first smart lock released earlier this year, the Level Touch is an all-in-one solution that replaces your existing deadbolt and lock, with one that can be opened by a simple tap of your finger. Now there’s no need to remember pesky codes to enter.
In addition to being able to unlock and lock it remotely through Level’s mobile app, the Touch is unique because of the hands-free experience it offers. When you’re juggling groceries in your hands, entering a code to unlock the door or using an app is an inconvenience. Instead, the Level Touch is unlocked by merely touching the outside of the lock. You may be wondering how it’s able to authenticate the process, but it’s actually quite simple. Since the Level Touch is Bluetooth enabled, it’s able to recognize when your mobile device is in close proximity, even when it’s in your pocket — so, all that’s needed to activate the unlock mechanism is to touch it.
Beyond using the app or touching the lock, it also leverages credit card-sized, NFC-enabled key cards as another alternative by allowing you to tap them on the lock. It’s sort of similar to what hotels employ, but the difference here is that there’s an added level of security and encryption. Through the app, users will be able to grant access to other people, as well as revoke it. In the event a card is lost or stolen, access to the Level Touch can be immediately disabled.
Level co-founder and CEO John Martin says the Level Touch takes the same fundamental approach as its previous smart lock. “Until now, smart home products have traded design for functionality and features, creating an imbalance in the natural tension between design and technology. We’re ending this compromise with Level Touch, where the outside is just as strong, beautiful, and precise as the inside,” Martin says in a press release. “Level Touch was created for the people who want to make their house a home, who equally value design with security and technology.”
The Level Touch is now available for order through its website for $329, which is a $100 increase over its previous smart lock. It willll be available in several different finishes to complement the existing look and decor of your front door. including satin chrome, satin nickel, polished brass, and matte black.
