The smart-lock problem nobody loves talking about
Smart locks are popular for guest codes, auto-lock, remote unlock, audit logs.
But most households quietly fight:
- Batteries that die at the worst moment.
- Easy-to-ignore low-battery alerts.
- Cold weather that drains cells even faster.
- Rechargeable packs that add cost and another cable.
Hard-wiring fixes it—yet many doors can’t be modified. Solar is flaky on shaded porches.
If a brand removes charging friction without an electrician, that’s not a feature—it’s a category unlock.
What Lockin announced at CES 2026
PCMag nominates the Lockin V7 Max for Best of CES and details its power trick:
- AuraCharge wireless optical charging.
- Plug a transmitter within 13 ft of the lock.
- Eye-safe IR beams hit a receptor on the inside escutcheon.
- Two global safety certs back the “eye-safe” claim.
Engadget confirms the same IR-beam trick for both the flagship V7 Max and a cheaper Veno Pro model.
Why optical charging is bigger than it sounds
Qi pads need touching; AuraCharge works across a doorway:
- 13-ft range—no pad, no dock, no alignment.
- Trickle-maintenance goal: keep the cell topped so you never think about it.
If real-world range and efficiency hold, it kills the #1 smart-lock failure mode: battery neglect.
The lock is more than a power demo
Per PCMag the V7 Max also packs:
- Dual exterior cameras (doubling as a doorbell).
- Touchscreens inside and outside.
- Unlock via face, palm, fingerprint, PIN, app.
- On-device AI for face / event recognition.
You’re buying a lock + video doorbell + biometric terminal—i.e., a big security surface.
The trade-off: convenience expands attack surface
Always-powered is great—until it’s always-powered for attackers too. Ask before you buy:
- Local or cloud processing for video/biometrics?
- Can recording be disabled while locking still works?
- Is an account mandatory?
- Security-patch cadence and support window?
Coverage hasn’t answered these yet; insist on answers before pre-ordering.
Price and the “realistic buyer”
Lockin told PCMag the V7 Max could hit $1,300 when it ships this summer; AuraCharge will also appear on a $350 Veno Pro.
That positions the Max for:
- security-first homeowners,
- premium smart-home enthusiasts,
- short-term rental hosts who need 100 % uptime.
The cheaper model matters—optical charging has to drop below flagship pricing to become a standard, not a luxury flex.
Bottom line
Lockin V7 Max isn’t interesting because it adds another unlock method—it’s interesting because AuraCharge tries to erase the maintenance tax that keeps smart locks from feeling truly smart. If the IR power link stays reliable and security defaults are tight, this could be the most influential smart-home idea out of CES 2026.
