Lockin just made a massive splash at CES 2026 with the debut of the V7 Max, a smart lock that looks more like a piece of high-end consumer tech than a piece of door hardware. It even walked away with the “Best of Innovation” award. The headline here is that this is the world’s first smart lock to ditch batteries entirely in favor of wireless optical charging, effectively ending the era of “low battery” anxiety for homeowners.
The V7 Max runs on Lockin’s new AuraCharge technology
Instead of asking you to swap out AA batteries or plug in a USB-C cable every few months, it draws power wirelessly from an indoor base station using eye-safe optical beams. It works at a range of up to four meters, providing a steady stream of energy that isn’t dependent on the sun like older solar models.
To address the obvious safety questions, Lockin secured certifications from TÜV Rheinland and SGS, proving the optical beam is safe for humans and pets. It’s a “set it and forget it” system that functions perfectly regardless of whether your front door is in a dark hallway or a shaded porch.
Security is where the V7 Max really earns its “Pro” status. It uses triple biometric authentication, combining palm vein recognition, finger vein scanning, and 3D face unlock. Vein recognition is widely considered the gold standard for home security because it reads patterns beneath the skin, making it almost impossible to spoof with a photo or a high-res fingerprint lift.
The lock also features LockinAI, which acts as a digital bouncer for your porch
It can distinguish between a neighbor and a delivery driver, alert you if someone is loitering with bad intent, and even index your video footage so you can search for “red car” or “package delivery” rather than scrolling through hours of clips.
Design-wise, the V7 Max was crafted by Hartmut Esslinger (the man behind Apple’s early “Snow White” design language), and it shows. It’s incredibly thin at just 15mm and features dual 5-inch touchscreens on both the inside and outside of the door. It also doubles as a high-end video doorbell with two HD cameras that give you a full panoramic view of your doorstep.
Importantly, it supports the Matter standard right out of the box. This means it’ll play nice with Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings without needing a proprietary bridge or hub.
Lockin didn’t stop with the V7 Max. They also showed off a refreshed version of their bestseller, the Veno Pro Wireless, which now supports AuraCharge. For those who prefer the sun, they previewed the Aeon, a solar lock using next-gen perovskite panels that can actually charge even on cloudy, overcast days.
The V7 Max is expected to start shipping in early 2026, with preorders opening up right after the show concludes on Amazon and the official Lockin website.
Source: www.digitaltrends.com
