Smart Locks, A New Era Dawning.

A Door lock is usually the first thing we use when we enter a house or the last thing that we touch when we leave our home. The first impression is a strong one, so a Smart Lock adorning your exquisitely polished door creates a rock-solid impression. The added convenience and security is a cherry on the top.

The move towards the smart is not recent. The move has been happening very slowly but surely for a few decades now, But in the past few years, the pace of acceptance and commercial availability of smart locks has gone up many folds. People were reluctant to try out the new technology due to high costs, complicated installation and lack of knowledge about the products. In the last few years, the price has gone down dramatically and fast, reliable internet has made people aware of smart home technology and created a demand for it.

Coming to the hero of our story the Smart Lock, It has been around for decades, with the first recognised smart lock launched in the 1970s. On a lighter note, we have read about smart locks as kids, can you recall the story of " Alibaba and the forty thieves ", the thieves gained access to their lair by voice command " Khull Ja sim sim" or " Open sesame ". Smart Locks have been around for a while, and most of us, who have worked or been in a large modern office have seen or used an access control based on an access card or pin code or even fingerprints. Almost all upscale hotels were early adopters of RFID locks.

I remember being young: back in the 90s, and attending an exhibition called " Inside - Outside" in New Delhi. The Exhibition was to showcase the latest and greatest in interior design and products related to architecture. I saw my first smart lock there, Godrej had a display wherein they had introduced a mortise lock that worked with a digital key, a small RFID key that opened a mortise lock + deadbolt meant for a residential setting. I remember being wowed by it. Despite having seen this technology commercialised in the late 90s, and despite living in metro city I still did not find the locks being sold or displayed prominently in our neighbourhood hardware stores until recently.

The time is ripe, with the rising prices of Real Estate and the added convenience of smart locks, there already is a rise in the sales of smart locks. The prices are at an all-time low, with locks from reputed brands starting as low as 100 USD ( INR 8000 ). People are warming up to the idea of using a smart lock. Dealers even in non-metro cities are selling and selling well these smart locks to residential consumers. It makes sense to invest and be a channel partner in t

his innovative smart product which is sure to grow.