Wyze’s latest home security product locks your home and turns you into the key. The Palm Lock features hand-scanning biometric technology that can read the unique pattern of veins underneath your skin to unlock the door.
The new smart lock mechanism works by having homeowners hover their hand in front of the reader to disengage the Palm Lock. Wyze says this technology will be quicker to use than fingerprint scanners.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.
The company’s co-founder and CMO, Dave Crosby, likened the process to creating a “secret handshake with [your] front door.” You must upload separate vein scans if you have multiple people in your house. No two “secret handshakes” are the same. Any biometric data is stored on-device, and Wyze says your palm print isn’t uploaded to the app or the cloud.
If you’re skeptical about locking up using only the veins in your hand, the Palm Lock includes other methods of entry. If it can’t read your palm for whatever reason, you won’t necessarily be locked out of your house.
Users can unlock the Palm Lock through Wi-Fi controls on the Wyze app or the old-fashioned way, with a physical key. Homeowners can also generate limited-time codes that guests can punch on the numbered keypad, giving visitor access a built-in expiration date.
The lock works in tandem with any Wyze video doorbells you already have.
The lock has a built-in gyroscope that automatically locks the door when it detects it being closed, and an alarm will also go off if you leave the door ajar. The Palm Lock interfaces with common voice assistants, such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
Wyze says its batteries last for up to six months. If the lock’s batteries die, a USB-C charging port will bring the Palm Lock back to life until you can swap them out.
The Wyze Palm Lock is available now on Wyze’s website for $130.
