The World's First Smart Lockbox

The igloohome team has been hard at work over the past 6 months.

With our smart locks out in the market, we have received a lot of interest in our technology. The idea of being able to grant access remotely, even though the lock works offline, has proven to be appealing to many home and property owners.

But along the way, we also discovered that some home and property owners have different needs. A number have expressed much enthusiasm for our smart lock, but shared that they were unable to permanently alter their doors, or that they had doors that were not compatible with our locks (eg. sliding doors, glass doors etc).

We had confidence that our technology would help home and property owners manage access, and we wanted to create a product that would be suitable for this group of owners.

And so we brainstormed and spent many months on research and development, and testing and even more testing.

And igloohome is now proud to present the igloohome Keybox - the world's first smart lockbox.

igloohome Keybox

The igloohome Keybox combines the best of both worlds - the technology of our smart locks, with the portability and versatility of a lockbox.

The idea behind the Keybox is for it to be a home or property owner's 24/7 reception.

All you need to do is to store the keys or keycards to your place inside the Keybox.

And secure it to a firm structure like a railing or door handle.

Let's say you now need to leave your property. You could be overseas, or just not have the time to be at your property when your visitors are there. Simply create a PIN code (and set how long it is valid for), and send it over to your visitors.

When your visitors arrive at your property, they can just use the PIN code to open the Keybox, retrieve the keys or keycards, and let themselves in.

How the Keybox differs from conventional lockboxes

Lockboxes are not a new invention. They are popular in many countries such as Japan and the USA. But there are limitations with conventional lockboxes.

The most crucial one is that PIN codes cannot be created remotely. They often need to be manually configured on the lockbox itself. This makes it troublesome for property owners who may not visit their properties frequently. As such, most property owners do not bother with this, and use the same PIN code for many visitors.

Security-wise, this may not be the best idea. It could mean that previous visitors could easily use the same PIN code to access the lockbox at a later stage and use it to enter the property.

And this is why we have created the Keybox. With the igloohome app, you can set how long each PIN code is valid for. This time-sensitive entry lets you rest easy at night knowing that your property is secure.

What's more is that access logs of bluetooth keys and PIN codes* can also be viewed on the app. The Keybox records down the exact date and time at which a certain bluetooth key or PIN code is used, so that you will know who last retrieved your keys.

*Access logs for bluetooth keys are already available - these logs on the app are updated once a bluetooth key is used. Access logs for PIN codes is targeted for roll-out in March 2017 - these logs are only updated when the master owner connects to the Keybox via bluetooth.

The Keybox VS a smart digital lock

Of course, if you're concerned about key duplication, a smart digital lock would be the best option for you. But as mentioned earlier, smart locks may not be suitable for everyone.

The Keybox is somewhat of a transition - for those who like the idea of the remote granting of access, but do not want the permanence of installation.

Instead of going fully keyless, you retain your keys and existing lock on your door. This means no alterations to your property. So if you're a tenant and are bound by your landlord's contract to return the property in its original state, or a property manager, or even just a home-owner that is commitment-phobic, the Keybox is perfect for you.

The Keybox works offline

Like our smart locks, the igloohome Keybox works offline. The technology behind it is explained here. There is no need to worry about internet connectivity or wifi hacking. Also, this means you can use the Keybox even in places which have little/no internet connection.

So this is what the team has been working hard on for a while, in addition to adding new features on the igloohome app for the igloohome Smart Lock. We also have more coming up in the next few months, so do keep checking this space!

The Keybox is currently available for order here in selected countries. Feel free to get in touch with us if you have any thoughts on it!