Ecobee’s doorbell and security system integrates Yale and August smart locks

If you have an Ecobee Smart Doorbell camera, you should now be able to let someone in more easily by tapping Unlock directly in the Live View of the Ecobee app instead of in your Smart Lock app jump. If you use Ecobee's Smart Security system, you can also lock the door when you activate the system. However, it will not unlock if you disarm the system, and entering your PIN code into the door lock will not turn off the system.

The new integration works with any Yale or August Wi-Fi-enabled smart lock that uses the Yale or August app (Fortune Brands owns both companies). This includes my top choice for a smart lock, the Yale Assure 2 (with Wi-Fi), as well as August's Wi-Fi Smart Lock and the new Yale Approach Lock.

The Yale Assure 2 smart lock can now integrate with the Ecobee smart doorbell, allowing you to unlock your door via the Ecobee app.
Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

The door lock feature requires an Ecobee subscription, which starts at $5 per month or $50 per year and includes 30 days of video storage for your doorbell camera. Once you have linked your Ecobee and Yale or August accounts, you can control the door lock in the Ecobee app and link it to the Ecobee security system. (Unfortunately, while you can see a live feed from your doorbell on an Ecobee thermostat, you can't control the lock directly on the thermostat.)

This partnership is a nice upgrade for Ecobee users and makes the platform more viable as a complete smart home system. In addition to the video doorbell and smart thermostat, Ecobee has an indoor camera and its smart security system (which can use its thermostat as a hub) works with Ecobee's motion and contact sensors. But it's a shame that the new integration is tied to a subscription.

Several companies already offer the ability to lock or unlock your door for free using the live view of your doorbell camera. Ring doorbells can do this with the Schlage Encode smart lock, and any Apple Home-compatible smart lock can work with any Apple Home-compatible doorbell to make this possible in the Home app. Companies like Eufy and Aqara, which make both smart locks and doorbell cameras, also have it.

Ecobees smart doorbell camera.
Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

Matter should eventually be able to provide this type of cross-vendor integration for free when (or if) cameras become part of the spec. However, despite early promises of Matter compatibility, Ecobee has not updated any of its products to support the new smart home standard.

For hardware companies moving to subscription services to generate more recurring revenue, it's easy to understand why Matter and its potential for commercialization might not seem as attractive. Ecobee already works with all major smart home platforms – including Apple Home, Samsung SmartThings, Alexa and Google Home – making Matter's interoperability feature less attractive.

Ultimately, proprietary partnerships like this, which rely on cloud-based connections and specific hardware, may be less attractive to users than Matter, which promises local control and broader interoperability. But until Matter is seamless and easy to use, it's certainly tempting to pay $5 a month to get everything working.

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