There is a growing consensus among mainstream consumers that the smartphone market has plateaued in terms of innovation and is becoming monotonous. In contrast, the appliance category, or what some call consumer durables, is getting a new lease on life, driven by a wave of revolutionary designs and quality-of-life features that are becoming more accessible to a wider range of customers. Among the companies contributing to this renaissance is Urban Company, and its recent launches are the best evidence of this.
On 5 August 2026, the brand launched a long-awaited successor to its flagship water purifier lineup, the Native M3 series. Grabbing everyone’s attention was the Native M3 Pro, with its stylish chassis designed to suit the aesthetic of a modern Indian home. But beyond its contemporary appearance lay a host of features that could shake up the water purifier segment. In addition to the Native M3 Pro, Urban Company announced the Native Lock Ultra, a new addition to its smart lock lineup, packed with standout features.
To understand what makes these launches significant, I took a closer look at both products and the ideas behind them. I also had the opportunity to speak with Varun Khaitan, COO of Urban Company. Our conversation went beyond the launches, covering repairability, long-term ownership, and the privacy and security questions surrounding connected home devices. Read on as I break down both products and share the key insights from our discussion.
3-year filter life may be the headline. The Native M3 Pro’s engineering is the real story.
The first product introduced at the launch event was the Native M3 Pro. It succeeds the widely popular Native M2 Pro, Urban Company’s former flagship water purifier. The newer version carries forward the built-in battery, PresetFlow dispensing, and Guide Light features that once defined its predecessor.
Design is where the Native M3 Pro begins to differ from the Native M2 Pro: the dot-matrix display with a control strip replaces the circular control panel on the front. The display is designed to show the real-time TDS reading, greet users with positive messages, provide weather updates, and broadcast the water purifier’s status.
The major improvement has been made inside the water purifier, with the sole aim of extending the lifespan of its filtration system. Beyond the Smart Rinse technology, Urban Company has introduced a new RO Life Booster feature that reduces scale build-up, helping maintain the RO’s longevity. The Native M3 Pro also includes a new DualFlow Mineralisation feature, which is claimed to deliver the same level of mineral-enriched water as on day one for 3 years. It now even comes equipped with a food-grade stainless-steel tank that is said to resist microbial growth with UV light.
What makes the Native M3 Pro truly special is that Urban Company says its filters are designed to last up to 3 years, and it has achieved this by increasing their size by 18% compared with those of the Native M2 Pro. If true, customers could save a significant amount of money by avoiding regular filter replacement.
That said, most water filtration experts recommend replacing filters such as the sediment and pre-carbon filters every 3 to 6 months. I asked Varun Kaitan, the COO of Urban Company, what else enabled the company to extend the filters’ lifespan by 3 years, beyond simply increasing their size. He said the industry standard had been poor for years, with many brands making frequent filter replacements their primary source of revenue. So it was only natural for experts to hold that view.
That’s why Urban Company, through its R&D, has focused on challenging the status quo rather than accepting the industry’s long-standing approach to filter replacement. It has done so by using higher-quality materials for all the filters used in the water filtration process. He added that the brand has incorporated a three-leaf RO membrane with Life Booster technology and a self-flushing mechanism into the Native M3 Pro to further extend filter life.
It’s also worth noting that Urban Company now offers a 3-year unconditional warranty to potential customers of the Native M3 Pro. This covers all internal components, including filters and electrical parts. While the brand should be commended for this thoughtful decision, there may come a time when a user needs the water purifier serviced or a filter replaced by a trusted third party, especially in an emergency. With the right-to-repair phenomenon gaining momentum globally, I wanted to know whether Urban Company would still honour its policy under those circumstances. Varun Kaitan replied that while customers could replace filters or repair their water purifier through a trusted service, doing so would void Urban Company’s unconditional warranty policy.
Even if an independent repair professional claims to have access to genuine Native water purifier parts, Urban Company would not honour its unconditional warranty. Khaitan said the company’s filtration technology is protected by patents, making it difficult for independent technicians to replicate or service the system to the brand’s standards. He added that Urban Company wants to maintain control over its filter ecosystem to ensure consistent water quality across its purifiers.
If interested, buyers can purchase the Native M3 Pro from leading online retailers and on Urban Company’s website for ₹25,000.
Native Lock Ultra is built around security, not just smart features.
The Native Lock Ultra is the other product Urban Company revealed at the launch event. Essentially, it is a flagship addition to its existing smart lock range. The brand said it is designed to blend with the aesthetic of Indian doors rather than stand out as an uninviting gadget.
Given its positioning as the premium product, it is packed with industry-leading features. For starters, Urban Company’s new smart lock features 6 ways to unlock the door:
1. Fingerprint scanner that can store up to 100 fingerprints
2. Touch keypad that lights up when someone wants to unlock the door using a passcode
3. Urban Company App that allows users to unlock the door remotely
4. RFID Cards & Mechanical Keys that are meant for emergencies
5. 3D Face Unlock that uses a built-in camera and an IR module to verify a human face and unlock the door in half a second, even in darkness
Using the same camera, the Native Lock Ultra also offers a live feed and two-way communication. The clever part is how Urban Company has integrated the camera into its doorbell experience. It has incorporated a patented Doorbell Connect feature into the Native Lock Ultra that activates a live feed and two-way communication whenever someone rings the doorbell, which users already have. The brand also utilises this camera to alert people to frequent lurkers in the vicinity.
But with a camera built into any home appliance, privacy becomes a key factor in the purchasing decision. Sometimes, all it takes is a basic 2MP camera to take away a homeowner’s peace of mind. I asked Kaitan how Urban Company handles customer recordings, whether it retains them on its servers, and who can access them.
Kaitan clarified that the brand complies with India’s DPDP Act and stores all customer recordings on Indian servers. To give you a brief overview, India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act requires businesses to obtain explicit user consent before processing digital information. It empowers individuals with rights to access, correct, or erase their personal data. Companies must maintain strict security, promptly report data breaches, and face severe penalties of up to ₹250 crore for any regulatory violations.
He added that the Native Lock Ultra provides only a live video feed, so videos aren’t stored on Urban Company’s servers. The rest, including photographs of frequent visitors, are stored on the servers, but they are retained for only 30 days on the user’s device and on the servers. They are also end-to-end encrypted.
That said, when it comes to a door lock, the primary factor in the purchasing decision remains the mortise, which Urban Company claims to prioritise when developing the Native Lock Ultra. For those unfamiliar, the mortise in a door lock is the chassis that holds the entire locking mechanism, including the latch, deadbolt, and faceplate. Urban Company has opted for a reinforced steel mortise to enhance the lock’s durability. The Native Lock Ultra’s mortise also features 5 deadbolts for superior lock protection.
While Urban Company says its latest flagship smart lock is built to withstand extreme conditions, it still raises an important question: could its locking mechanism fail during a house fire? I ask this because recent fire incidents in Delhi and Indore shared a common thread. Occupants reportedly struggled to unlock their smart locks as the fires spread. Naturally, I wanted to know how the Native Lock Ultra is designed to handle such situations. Kaitan assured that even if the electronics in the Native Lock Pro and Lock Ultra fail during a critical situation, users could still unlock them using a hidden manual latch.
Battery-wise, the Native Lock Ultra comes with two rechargeable 5,000mAh batteries.
Those interested in purchasing the Native Lock Ultra can find it on leading online retailers and on Urban Company’s website. Its price is ₹24,999.
Conclusion
After taking a closer look at both products and speaking with Varun Khaitan, one thing stood out. Urban Company is not adding new features just for the sake of it. Instead, it is trying to solve everyday problems that homeowners face. Our conversation also covered difficult topics, including repairability, privacy, and safety during emergencies. Khaitan answered each question directly and explained the thinking behind the company’s decisions. While only long-term use will reveal how these products perform, the discussion made it clear that Urban Company wants to keep its customers safe, secure, and confident in their purchase.
