Before we get into our discussion about smart locks and innovation, allow me to share a funny personal story.

Over the past 6 months, my 9 year old daughter has been telling me random things that are “for sure” going to happen in 2015. At first I passed them off as “just a kid being a kid”, but she’s just been so darn sure of herself, it was starting to get a little creepy. (I promise this is going somewhere… stick with me.) One of the things she said was going to happen (for sure!) in 2015 was that you’d be able to talk to your locks and tell them when to open. (Apparently this is the way a 9 year old thinks.)

Finally, after the 75^th thing she had told me was going to happen (for sure!) in 2015, I broke down and asked, “Evie, why on earth are you so sure of these things in the future?” Thinking she had some frighteningly-accurate sixth sense, I prepared myself for the worst. Then she replied, “MOM! Marty McFly goes to 2015 in the 2^nd one, and they have all this stuff– including doors and locks and lights you can talk to.”

Oh.

That.

The Future of Locks

As it turns out, Back to the Future II might not have been too far off with their predictions! If there’s anything I’ve learned in my time at LockNet, it’s that smart locks really are the next big thing. There are plenty of options from which to choose, and several hotel chains have already switched over to smart locks, as opposed to the traditional physical keys and swipe cards.

One of the most popular varieties is the August Smart Lock. This particular lock works with your current exterior door hardware; you only have to change the interior part of your existing deadbolt. Once you have it installed, you sync your smart phone with the lock and voila! You no longer need a key.

How Do They Work?

Each smart lock has its own individual capabilities, but the overall idea is your smart phone will now hold your smart lock’s virtual key. With the August Smart Lock, for instance, you have the capability to create virtual keys and then send them electronically to everyone who needs access. You can then go in and set the amount of time you want each key to be active. Currently, smart locks are only used in the hospitality industry and in private homes, but the technology is sure to make its way to the commercial market in the near future.

There are several smartphone apps available for a variety of smart lock brands, including Schlage and Yale, so it looks like Marty (and my daughter) was right– the ability to sync your smart phone is no longer just some far-fetched idea from the movies. The future is here!