Aqara U200 is a Matter-over-Thread smart lock that promises support for Home Key

As a retrofit lock, the U200 is easily installed over your existing cylinder or mortise lock. The lock seamlessly installs directly on US-style deadbolt locks that have a gap of 40mm (0.3in) or greater between the keyhole and the edge of the keyway. For Euro-style locks, the smart lock requires the cylinder to be at least 3.5mm (0.14in) away from the edge of the door, among other keyhole requirements. On its Kickstarter page, Aqara states that it designed the U200 specifically for Euro-style cylinder locks with an Emergency function that allows opening the door from outside with a key, even when another key is already inserted from within. 

Aqara definitely scores points for versatility, but the promised integration of Apple Home Key really stands out among competitors. The Nuki Smart Lock which works on European doors and also supports Matter over Thread, but lacks HomeKit certification. Similarly, U-tec's Ultraloq Bolt Fingerprint announced at CES 2024 is compatible with Matter and Thread but does not include support for Apple Home Key. The Yale Assure Lock 2 offers a different sort of dilemma, however: Home Key support as well as compatibility for almost every smart home platform, but falls short when it comes to Matter or Thread. 

But things might be changing. Home Key is now supported by Matter thanks to iOS 17, so smart home devices do not necessarily need HomeKit certification to use Apple's unlocking method. Perhaps sooner than later, Matter-compatible Home Key locks might flood the smart lock market. But for now at least, Aqara can boast of ‘getting there first' when the U200 starts shipping in April.