Schlage’s Encode smart deadbolt is a robust smart lock that connects to your Wi-Fi network and is compatible with Key by Amazon. That’s the service that allows Amazon delivery people to place packages inside your door, instead of leaving them on the porch. It works with Key by Amazon-compatible security cameras that allow you to watch and record such deliveries. You can also pair the lock with a Ring Video Doorbell, so you can see who’s at your front door and open it remotely if you choose.
Those are some great features, but I quickly discovered that the Schlage Encode exposes an important weakness in Amazon’s approach to the smart home. I recently re-installed a Ring Alarm system so that I could evaluate one of the first products in Ring’s smart lighting series, the Ring Pathlight. Since the Encode works with Ring Video Doorbells and cameras, I assumed it would also work with the Ring Alarm. It doesn’t.