This week brought exciting developments in the world of Apple Home and Matter, which we’d like to summarize for you, as usual.
Matter 1.2: Nine New Accessory Categories
The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) released Matter 1.2 this week, an advancement in the smart home standard featuring nine new device categories. This allows for the control of robotic vacuums, dishwashers, washing machines, and more.
Apple is expected to integrate these new categories into Apple Home, but an exact timeline is currently unknown. In addition to the new categories, Matter 1.2 offers detailed improvements and semantic tags for a more consistent user experience across various platforms.
Neo Certifies New Matter Devices with Flexible Power Supply
Chinese company Neo is expanding its range of smarthome devices and this week has had a new contact sensor and motion detector certified. These new devices use the energy-efficient Thread protocol for reliable communication.
In addition, the devices offer a flexible power supply, as they can be operated with batteries as well as via USB. The question of whether they will rely on micro-USB or USB-C remains open for now.
IKEA Plans New Sensors for Early 2024
IKEA is looking to add three new sensors to its Home Smart range: the “IKEA Parasoll” contact sensor, the “IKEA Vallhorn” motion detector and the “IKEA Badring” water detector.
If you’re already using the IKEA DIRGERA Hub, you can add new devices to your Apple Home for under $10 starting in early 2024.
Aqara Announces Z1 Pro Smart Switch
Aqara has announced the new Z1 Pro Smart Switch with Zigbee 3.0, but it will only be available in China for now. The switch offers a slide switch on the left side for easy dimming of lamps.
The accent lighting for better orientation in the dark can be controlled via the Aqara app and is available in two color variants. The introductory price is RMB289, the equivalent of around 37€ or $40. The basic model without a dimmer and accent lighting is available on AliExpress.
Bosch Unveils New In-Wall Dimmer
Bosch is expanding its smart home range with an under-cabinet dimmer that can connect to the Bosch Smart Home Controller (II) via Zigbee 3.0.
Installation requires a flush-mounted box with a depth of at least 50 millimeters and a neutral conductor. The dimmer is expected to be available in the Bosch online shop soon, priced at €69.95.
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