The Alfred DB2S is a standard deadbolt smart lock that can recharge via infrared beams, but the Wi-Charge wireless charging kit won’t be available through retail channels at launch.
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The first wirelessly powered smart deadbolt is launching later this year — but you’ll have to wait for the wireless power. The Alfred DB2S is the first DIY-installable smart lock that can charge via infrared power transmission, and Alfred says it’ll be available for $299 at The Home Depot, Lowe’s, and other retailers in early Q2.
There’s a slight catch, though: that $299 doesn’t get you wireless charging, at least not yet. For that, you’ll need a Wi-Charge charging kit, which won’t be available through consumer channels until the second half of 2023 at the earliest. Pricing for the kit has not been set.
When it is available, the charging kit will consist of a replacement backplate for the lock with a built-in Wi-Charge receiver, as well as a transmitter that requires continuous power and line-of-site to the lock. It uses infrared energy to safely transmit power over up to 30 feet and can power multiple devices at once. Wi-Charge co-founder Ori Mor says the tech is FDA-approved.
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This isn’t the first wirelessly powered lock Alfred has announced or that Wi-Charge has shown off. The Alfred ML2 smart mortise lock was first shown at CES 2020 and officially launched for commercial real estate buyers in September 2022. Alfred says that both it and the DB2S are currently shipping, with the Wi-Charge transmitter, through direct sales to commercial customers.
If you do pick up a DBS2 in The Home Depot or Lowe’s later this year, it won’t come with a Wi-Charge receiver and transmitter. But you can get by with the included rechargeable Li-Ion battery pack until the Wi-Charge kit is available at retail in the second half of 2023. Alfred says the battery gets nine to 11 months between charges and only takes two to three hours to recharge with a standard USB-C phone charger.
The wireless charging integration seems to be the main difference between the $299 DB2S and the $199 Alfred DB2, which you can buy in stores today. The DB2 has a touchscreen keypad and works over Bluetooth, with Z-Wave available via an add-in module and Wi-Fi with a separate $59 bridge for connection to smart home systems, including Alexa and Google Home.
The DBS2 will have all of the above, plus support for RFID cards as well as Zigbee (and the wireless charging, of course). Alfred says that Matter integration is on its roadmap. At least you’ll have a pretty decent smart lock, then, even if the wireless charging part never materializes.
Correction, Saturday, January 7th, 3:19PM ET: A previous version of this article implied that Wi-Charge wireless power receivers and transmitters aren’t available. Alfred says they are available to commercial customers via direct sale, and have already shipped to an unspecified “small and growing number of customers.” The company says it plans to make them available via retail in the second half of this year. We regret the error.
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