SwitchBot has announced the SwitchBot Lock Vision and Lock Vision Pro, a set of smart deadbolt locks that the company says can last 12 months on a charge and can unlock in one second using facial recognition. They’re available for preorder in the U.S. now for either $170 or $230 depending on the model you choose, and will start shipping in June.
SwitchBot already offers a standalone keypad, the Keypad Vision, that offers facial recognition unlocking. Like the Lock Vision and Vision Pro, it uses 3D structured light—many small beams of invisible light that shine at your face to get an accurate read of your facial features, similar to Apple’s Face ID feature. That means it can’t be tricked by a simple picture of you. The company says this is all on-device and that the facial recognition “unlocks in 1 second, even in darkness.” Hopefully it’s more reliable than the Keypad Vision I tested for my SwitchBot Lock Ultra review, which never reliably scanned my glasses-wearing, bearded face. (To its credit, it recognized my partner’s hairless face just fine.)
Having options, then, will be nice. The Lock Vision Pro adds a fingerprint reader—which could be rock-solid if it’s done as well as on the Keypad Vision—and palm vein scanning, a tech I loved during my time with the TCL D2 Pro. Palm vein scanning isn’t as nice as the Aliro- and- ultra wideband-based unlocking of the Aqara Smart Lock U400, but I’ll consider it the next best thing until I meet a facial recognition smart lock that can reliably handle my burly face.
Besides those three biometric options, both Lock Visions can be unlocked with a numeric passcode, NFC scanning, smartphone apps (SwitchBot’s and smart home apps like Apple Home or Google Home), or a physical key, while the Lock Vision Pro can work with a GPS geofence, as well. The locks also each feature a 10,000mAh USB-C-rechargeable main battery and a CR123A backup that the company says is good for 500 emergency unlocks and can work as low as -4 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees Celsius). They’re Matter-compatible over Wi-Fi and won’t require a SwitchBot hub to connect to your preferred smart home ecosystem.
It all sounds encouraging, but take all of those features with appropriate grains of salt. SwitchBot has a lot of irons in the fire, offering everything from one of its best products, the button-pressing SwitchBot Bot, to its deeply flawed video doorbell. The company doesn’t always hit, so it’s a good idea to wait for reviews before you dive in, even if that $230-at-most price tag is pretty enticing compared to pricier options from the likes of Eufy or Aqara.
