Updated
Updated · The Verge · Sep 3
SwitchBot Launches €339.99 Smart Lock With 19 Unlock Methods for 99% of European Doors
Updated
Updated · The Verge · Sep 3

SwitchBot Launches €339.99 Smart Lock With 19 Unlock Methods for 99% of European Doors

3 articles · Updated · The Verge · Sep 3

Summary

  • IFA debutant SwitchBot Lock Ultra Max Vision Pro Combo targets European homes with up to 19 entry methods, including fingerprint, passcode, NFC, facial recognition, palm vein scans, and app-based remote access.
  • €339.99 in Europe and £339.99 in the UK buys the lock, Keypad Vision Pro, and Hub Mini Matter, positioning the package above last year's $249.99 Lock Ultra Vision.
  • 99% compatibility is SwitchBot's main pitch: the retrofit lock supports common EU profile, knob, Swiss round, and UK oval cylinders, with extra adapters for less common setups.
  • A motor delivering more than 9 kilograms of turning force and 160rpm gives the Lock Ultra Max 3.2 times the rotation speed of the older Lock Ultra, underscoring its push for tougher European locks.

Insights

SwitchBot’s new lock motor boasts incredible turning force, but could this extreme power accidentally damage older, fragile European door mechanisms?
Retrofit locks keep your old hardware, but does a high-tech biometric scanner actually make a cheap apartment deadbolt safer from intruders?
With 19 unlock methods including facial and palm scans, is the convenience of hands-free entry worth the risk of storing localized biometric data?