Many Australian homes already have motorised blinds, ceiling fans, garage doors and outdoor lights that run perfectly but are not “smart”. They are controlled by the little RF remotes in drawers, on keyrings or clipped to the car visor.
With Home Assistant’s new RF platform, those same devices can now join the rest of your smart home without being replaced. Your existing remotes stay as a backup, but Home Assistant quietly takes over the routine work.
For homeowners in the Southern Highlands and across Australia, this is a practical way to modernise an established property. You keep the hardware you have, add a small RF “bridge” or two, and open the door to sophisticated automation and voice control.
Below, we explain what RF control actually is, how the new Home Assistant update works, the hardware choices involved, and the kinds of real-world automations Highlands Smart Homes is now designing around it.
What Is RF Control and Why It Matters Now
Radio frequency, or RF, is the low-frequency wireless signal used by many everyday remotes. When you press the button on your garage key fob, or the handheld remote for your patio blinds, you are sending an RF command on a specific frequency such as 315 or 433 MHz.
In Australian homes this shows up everywhere: outdoor blinds on Bowral terraces, roller doors in suburban garages, ceiling fans in Queenslanders, budget RF power points from Bunnings and even RF-controlled string lights in alfresco areas.
Historically, these RF devices sat completely outside the smart home ecosystem. They did not have Wi‑Fi or apps, and there was no simple way to ask Home Assistant, Google, Apple or Alexa to talk to them. Integrations existed, but they were niche and device-specific.
Home Assistant’s 2026.5 release changes that by making RF a “first-class” platform alongside Wi‑Fi, Zigbee, Z‑Wave and Matter. Instead of treating each brand of remote as a one-off hack, Home Assistant now understands RF as a standard way to address devices you already own.
For renovators and architects, this reframes RF hardware from “legacy” to “asset”. Those outdoor blinds you put in ten years ago can now be automated, scheduled and linked to sensors rather than ripped out and replaced.
How Home Assistant’s New RF Platform Works
At the heart of the new platform is an RF transmitter inside your home. This is a small device that can “learn” the signals from your existing remotes, then replay them on command from Home Assistant.
You still press the remote once during setup, but from then on you treat the blind, fan or garage door like any other entity in your Home Assistant dashboard. Scenes, schedules and automations all apply as if the device were a modern Wi‑Fi product.
Behind the scenes, Home Assistant exposes RF as a shared platform. Integrations such as Honeywell RF string lights and Novy RF cooker hoods already use it, and more will follow. Once an RF bridge is in place, each new supported device type simply plugs into the same infrastructure.
Crucially for Australian conditions, all of this runs locally. Commands travel from your phone or wall tablet to your Home Assistant hub, then via RF to the device without touching a cloud server. In areas where NBN and 4G can be patchy, this keeps blinds, fans and doors dependable.
It also fits neatly with premium wired and KNX-style systems. RF can act as the link between those robust in-wall controls and the “dumb” RF equipment around the edges of the property, without compromising responsiveness or reliability.
Choosing an RF Bridge: ESPHome DIY vs Broadlink
There are two main paths to add RF capability to Home Assistant today: a custom ESPHome RF bridge or an off‑the‑shelf Broadlink unit. Both can work well in Australian homes, but they suit different priorities.
An ESPHome bridge typically uses an ESP32 board paired with a CC1101 RF module. It is very flexible, supports multiple bands used locally, and can be tailored by a professional integrator to your floor plan. The trade‑off is that it needs design, assembly and tidy installation.
The Broadlink RM4 Pro is the best‑known ready-made RF and infrared bridge. It is compact, available from Australian retailers, and pairs quickly with Home Assistant using the new platform. For many existing homes, a single RM4 Pro placed centrally will cover common RF blinds, fans and garage doors.
In premium builds around Bowral, Mittagong or Moss Vale, Highlands Smart Homes often combines both approaches. We might place a discreet Broadlink in a living area for AV and fan control, then hide ESPHome RF nodes in ceilings or AV cupboards to ensure reliable coverage across thicker walls and steel framing.
Whichever path you choose, RF planning should sit alongside Wi‑Fi, Zigbee and hard‑wired cabling in your overall design. Physical placement, power, and antenna orientation all influence how consistently your RF signals reach garages, patios and upper-level windows.
Engaging a specialist integrator means these decisions are made early. Bridges can be powered from hidden outlets, co-located with network equipment, and tested with your actual RF devices before plaster goes up or cabinets are closed.
Real Automation Ideas for Australian Homes
Once RF devices appear in Home Assistant, they behave like any other controllable point in the home. The real value comes from combining them with sensors, weather data and your daily routines.
Here are some of the practical patterns we are implementing for clients.
Blinds that protect comfort and glazing
Motorised RF blinds on west-facing windows or alfresco areas can be linked to light, UV and temperature sensors. On hot summer afternoons, Home Assistant can lower them automatically when solar gain reaches a threshold, keeping interiors cooler and protecting timber floors and furniture.
In exposed Southern Highlands locations, we often add wind protection too. When a weather station or Bureau of Meteorology feed reports strong gusts, patio blinds can retract to prevent damage, then resume their usual schedule once conditions calm.
Garages that look after themselves
RF garage doors lend themselves to simple, high-impact automations. A nightly “lock-up” routine can check whether any door is open after a set time and close it, sending a notification if something obstructs the path.
Geofencing and licence plate or presence detection can add further refinement. Arrive home after dark and the door opens, lights in the entry and mudroom turn on, and security cameras arm themselves once you are inside.
Ceiling fans and outdoor comfort
Many RF ceiling fans and fan-light combos in Australian homes have never had a smart option. With RF support, Home Assistant can pre‑cool bedrooms before a hot night, or cycle fans in a Queenslander living room during the day to keep air moving without over-reliance on air conditioning.
On covered decks and pool terraces, fans and RF-controlled string lights can become part of an “Entertain” scene. One tap sets fan speed, lighting levels and even outdoor audio, then restores everything to its previous state afterwards.
Outdoor lights tied to conditions
RF garden lights and power outlets can follow more than just a fixed clock. They can respond to actual sunset times, unexpected storms, or even smoke alerts during bushfire season, ensuring paths and access points are visible when it matters.
Because everything is centralised in Home Assistant, it also becomes trivial to have “Holiday” modes that randomise RF lights and blinds within a window, creating a lived-in appearance while you are away.
Planning an RF‑Ready Smart Home
For new builds, RF should be considered part of the services design, not an afterthought. For retrofits, a brief audit of existing remotes often reveals surprising opportunities.
In double-brick, Hebel or steel-framed construction, RF propagation needs particular care. Strategic placement of bridges, use of ceiling cavities, and access to power and Ethernet all contribute to a seamless end result.
Retrofit considerations
In an existing home, we typically start by gathering every RF remote and identifying frequencies and brands. From there we can stage the project: one RF bridge and a few high-impact automations first, then additional coverage and devices as required.
This approach keeps disruption low. Blinds, doors and fans remain usable throughout, and you avoid committing to expensive replacement hardware until you are confident the RF layer is working the way you want.
New builds and major renovations
For architects and builders, the opportunity is to design RF, Wi‑Fi, Zigbee and wired controls together. That might mean allowing recessed niches for RF bridges, providing dedicated power in AV cupboards, and routing structured cabling so that Home Assistant hardware and RF nodes can live in ideal locations instead of where a random GPO happens to be.
It also means specifying devices with an eye to longevity. Where it makes sense to use open protocols such as Zigbee or Matter, we will. Where clients already have high-quality RF blinds or fans, we plan to integrate rather than replace, extending the useful life of those fittings.
Bringing Your “Dumb” Devices Into a Smart Plan
Home Assistant’s RF platform turns a whole class of overlooked hardware into something you can orchestrate with the rest of your home. Instead of juggling key fobs and wall remotes, you gain a single, coherent layer of control designed around how you live.
Whether you are updating an established Southern Highlands property or designing a new architectural build, RF is now a serious, sustainable path to smarter blinds, garages, fans and outdoor spaces.
If you would like help auditing your existing RF devices, choosing the right bridges and designing reliable automations, Highlands Smart Homes can handle the technical detail and installation while you focus on the experience you want in each room.
This week in smart homes is all about making the tech feel invisible. Matter is quietly spreading through bridges and chips, presence sensors are becoming genuinely intelligent, and local platforms like Home Assistant are tightening their safety practices.
For Australian homes, that translates into fewer ecosystem headaches, better comfort in open-plan spaces, and more confidence that locks and alarms stay under your control. The latest products are less about flashy features and more about solid, long-term infrastructure.
Below is a practical rundown of what has changed this week and how it affects premium installations across Apple Home, Google Home, Home Assistant and mixed-brand projects.
If you are planning a renovation or a staged upgrade, these shifts around Matter, presence sensing, control panels and smart locks are worth baking into your design now.
Matter momentum: bridges, chipsets and quieter compatibility wins
Homebridge 2.0 is now out with its first layer of Matter support, which means it can act not only as a HomeKit bridge but also as a Matter bridge into Apple Home. In parallel, silicon vendors such as STMicroelectronics are baking Matter into their connectivity chipsets, so more new devices will arrive with Matter-ready hardware from day one.
Combined with dedicated Matter bridges that sit inside products like the new SONOFF NSPanel Pro Gen2, this chipset trend is quietly eroding the walls between ecosystems. A light or relay may ship as a Zigbee or Wi-Fi device, but a bridge in the background presents it to Apple Home, Google Home or Home Assistant using the same common language.
For homeowners that already rely on tools like the original Homebridge to bring older gear into Apple Home, this shift to Matter is less about replacing everything and more about adding an extra, future-facing lane. You can keep using existing plugins while gradually onboarding new Matter-capable devices without rebuilding the whole system.
Why this matters for Australian projects
In Australia, many premium homes blend imported devices with local stock. Historically that meant juggling region-locked apps and accepting that some products would sit in their own silo or be limited to a single platform. Matter bridging changes that equation.
- Installers can specify Zigbee, Thread or Wi-Fi devices from different brands and still present them cleanly in Apple or Google ecosystems.
- Upgrades become less risky. When a client wants to swap Google for Apple or add Home Assistant later, much of the infrastructure can stay in place.
- Longer product life cycles are more realistic, because Matter support at the silicon level increases the chance of multi-ecosystem firmware over time.
For Southern Highlands and broader Australian homes, a sensible path is to treat Matter as the interoperability backbone, then build around local control where possible. That could mean deploying a Zigbee or Thread mesh, using Homebridge 2.0 or a dedicated Matter bridge, and exposing only the polished controls to Apple Home or Google Home.
Presence sensing goes premium: Zigbee microwave today, mmWave tomorrow
Microwave Zigbee presence sensors like SONOFF’s SNZB-06P are now widely available, and Aqara has started teasing its FP400 mmWave sensor with Matter support. The shared goal is simple: move from basic motion detection to true presence sensing that understands when someone is actually in the room, even when they are sitting still.
Unlike PIR sensors that look for rapid changes in infrared, these radar-based units track micro-movements such as breathing and subtle posture shifts. Paired with a fast local platform like Home Assistant or a robust Zigbee hub, they can keep lights and HVAC zones active without constant waving, while still shutting spaces down quickly when empty.
Designing presence for Australian floor plans
Australian homes often combine double-brick walls with large open living and kitchen spaces. That mix affects how presence sensors behave. Microwave and mmWave can penetrate non-metallic surfaces, which is useful, but it also means a poorly placed sensor might see through a thin wall into a corridor or adjacent bedroom.
- In open-plan living, treat presence sensors as zone markers rather than simple room sensors. Place them to cover seated areas, desks and dining tables rather than just doorways.
- In narrower hallways, a traditional PIR can still be the better trigger, with a radar sensor handling the main room to avoid ghost activations down the corridor.
- Where possible, choose mains or USB powered units. Battery-based radar sensors tend to compromise responsiveness to preserve runtime, which undermines the point of presence detection.
For Home Assistant users, the current best-practice pattern is to keep the detection stack simple: use Zigbee for low-latency presence, keep the automations local, and reserve cloud or AI layers for higher-level logic such as modes or energy optimisation. That approach gives you crisp lighting and climate behaviour even if the internet or a vendor cloud is having a bad day.
Keeping AI and automation on a leash in Home Assistant
Recent warnings about giving AI full control over Home Assistant highlight a real and growing risk. It is tempting to let a language model tweak automations or act as an all-purpose house manager, but unrestricted access can quickly extend to locks, alarms, cameras and garage doors.
The key is to treat AI as a supervised assistant, not an administrator. Home Assistant already encourages clear separation between automations, helpers and integrations. Extending that discipline to AI means drawing hard lines around what the model can see and what it is allowed to trigger.
Practical safeguards for critical devices
- Segment your devices by risk. Keep locks, alarm partitions, exterior gates and camera privacy modes in a separate group that cannot be directly toggled by AI tools or generic voice intents.
- Use staged automations. Allow AI to set modes or propose changes, but require a human-confirmed scene or a second automation to action anything that affects the perimeter.
- Prefer local, audited paths. Where possible, connect Zigbee, Z-Wave and local API devices directly to Home Assistant or a trusted hub, then expose only a limited set of safe entities to cloud services.
- Document fallbacks. For rural or semi-rural Australian properties, written and tested procedures for power loss, NBN outages and hub failures are essential. Include manual lock keys, alarm keypad codes and local-only automations that continue to run without the internet.
For integrators working with Southern Highlands clients, the simplest rule remains: anything that would be unacceptable if accidentally triggered by a remote support tech should not be directly addressable by an AI. Use AI to summarise logs, generate draft automations and answer how-to questions, but keep the final commit in human hands.
Smart control surfaces that behave like real switches
SONOFF’s new NSPanel Pro Gen2 addresses a long-standing gap with wall-mounted smart panels. It adds dual relays, a stronger hardware platform and a built-in Matter bridge so that it can replace a traditional switch while also acting as a local dashboard and protocol hub.
Under the glass, the Gen2 moves to a quad-core ARM SoC with 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage, dual-band Wi-Fi and an MG24 Zigbee radio. In practice, that means it can comfortably run a Home Assistant companion app or rich dashboards without feeling sluggish, while its relays handle one or two lighting circuits directly in the wall box.
Benefits for Australian retrofits and heritage homes
- Minimal cutting. Panels that reuse the existing switch location reduce the need to open up walls in solid brick or heritage plaster, avoiding structural headaches and lengthy patching.
- Local, tactile control preserved. With relays in the panel, clients can still turn lights on and off at the wall even if the network or controller is offline.
- Matter as the bridge layer. Because Gen2 can present attached Zigbee and Wi-Fi devices over Matter, it can sit comfortably in a mixed Apple, Google and Home Assistant environment.
- Compliance-conscious deployment. Australian regulations mean a licensed electrician must handle anything tied into mains. Depth, heat and derating considerations become more complex with smart panels, so early checks on wall box dimensions and approvals are essential.
For high-end homes, the emerging pattern is to combine a small number of rich panels in key locations with more discreet scene keypads elsewhere. That keeps the walls clean while still giving occupants an intuitive, always-on way to override or adjust the automation.
Reliability and convenience: Google Home fixes and UWB smart locks
On the cloud side, Google Home is rolling out instant account relinking prompts and a new Home Vitals dashboards for developers. When a device goes offline because a partner link has expired, the app can now surface a targeted relink suggestion instead of leaving users to guess their way through generic error messages.
For Australian households where Google speakers, displays and Nest cameras anchor the daily routine, these changes should nudge reliability in the right direction. Google is also expanding its Gemini-for-Home upgrades across APAC, which should speed up natural-language interactions while giving the company more consistent telemetry on device health.
At the front door, Aqara’s U400 smart lock pairs Ultra Wideband with iPhone and Apple Watch so that the door can unlock automatically as you approach. It is one of the first mainstream examples of truly touch-free, phone-in-pocket entry built around Apple’s UWB ecosystem.
Balancing convenience with local security needs
- Hardware compatibility. Many Australian doors use local profiles or custom mortice hardware. Before specifying a UWB lock, confirm backset, door thickness and handedness, and check whether a compliant Australian version is available.
- Insurance and codes. Some insurers and strata bodies still require physical key access and mechanical deadlocking. Make sure the chosen lock preserves required features and that clients understand any policy implications.
- Fallback options. A premium installation should always provide a non-phone way in. That could be a PIN keypad, NFC card, mechanical key cylinder or a combination of these, all tested under low battery and network-out scenarios.
- Privacy and logging. UWB-based proximity logs can be sensitive. Agree upfront with clients how long access events are retained, who can view them and whether they sync to cloud accounts.
Used well, these updates from Google and Aqara can make homes feel more forgiving: fewer random offline devices, fewer fumbling key moments at the door. The gains are real, as long as they are anchored by solid local control and a clear security design.
Where to focus in your next upgrade
Smart home news flows quickly, but the themes this week are straightforward: invest in Matter-aware infrastructure, choose reliable presence sensors with local Zigbee integration, keep AI carefully scoped inside Home Assistant, and treat new panels and locks as long-term pieces of the electrical and security fabric, not short-lived gadgets.
If you are planning work on an Australian property over the next 6 to 12 months, a useful next step is to map your existing devices into three groups: what can be bridged into Matter, what should move to local Zigbee or Thread for presence and critical control, and which high-value touchpoints like panels and locks deserve a premium, future-proof replacement.
Aligning those choices now will make each subsequent upgrade simpler, safer and noticeably more comfortable to live with, whether you are an Apple household, deeply invested in Google, running Home Assistant, or blending all three.
This week brings a clear pattern across new smart home launches and updates. Matter and Thread are quietly making multi-vendor setups less painful, while wall panels, local protocols and better networking tools are turning premium homes into calmer, more resilient spaces.
For Australian households in particular, this translates into fewer cloud dependencies, more robust networks around nbn and FTTP connections, and a better mix of practical devices for energy, security and day-to-day living.
Matter momentum: more Thread and Matter devices arriving
Matter is steadily moving beyond light bulbs and speakers into outdoor lighting, roller shades and architectural fixtures. Recent launches such as Govee’s Outdoor Spotlights Lite and Bringnox Matter over Thread roller blinds highlight how vendors are betting on Thread radios and Matter certification for both indoor and outdoor projects.
For homeowners this reduces friction across ecosystems. New devices can join Apple Home, Google Home and Alexa with a single pairing flow, without juggling vendor hubs or cloud accounts. Thread-based Matter products also build their own low-power mesh, improving responsiveness compared with Wi-Fi-only accessories.
Outdoor lighting in particular is benefiting. Matter-capable spotlights, lightwalls and garden fixtures make it easier to build landscape scenes that respond to presence, schedules and modes across platforms. With Thread handling the low-level mesh, designers can worry less about Wi-Fi coverage at the back fence.
The bigger story is future-proofing. Matter is not perfect, but it has enough industry weight behind it that new categories like shades and energy devices are more likely to interoperate over time. That matters when you are specifying lighting and shading to complement stonework, joinery and glazing that will be in place for a decade.
What this means for Australian homes
- Check that you have at least one Thread border router on site, such as a HomePod, Apple TV 4K, Nest hub or compatible multi-protocol bridge.
- Favour Matter over Thread devices for new landscape and garden lighting where possible, rather than proprietary Wi-Fi strips.
- In coastal or high-UV locations, combine Matter with proper IP ratings and marine-grade fixtures rather than relying on indoor products outdoors.
- When renovating, pre-wire for power at key eave and garden positions so you can drop in Thread-based fittings later without major works.
As local retailers start ranging more Matter products, expect the balance to tilt away from single-vendor ecosystems and towards devices that can follow you as you change phones, voice assistants or controllers.
Wall panels and local hubs: NSPanel Pro brings control back to the wall
Sonoff’s latest NSPanel Pro updates make a strong case for putting more intelligence onto the wall instead of hiding everything in a phone app. Their recent guidance for ZBBridge-P owners positions the NSPanel Pro as the natural upgrade path: a Zigbee 3.0 gateway, Matter bridge, visual thermostat and local dashboard in one unit.
Used in multiples, these panels create a multi-screen home where each room has its own local control and feedback. Screens can show temperatures, security modes, presence and scenes in real time, and can continue to run local Zigbee automations when the internet is offline.
Sonoff also emphasises visual feedback. Instead of invisible background automations, NSPanel Pro units show which scenes are running, which modes are armed and what the current setpoints are. That reduces confusion for guests and family members who simply want to know whether a light or heater is on.
Layering NSPanel Pro with Home Assistant
The NSPanel Pro ships with the F-Droid app store and can run the official Home Assistant app directly on the screen. This turns each panel into a dedicated dashboard for that room, with fine-grained permissions around what can be seen or adjusted.
- Use a panel in the entry to show whole-home status: armed state, doors, garage and climate.
- Use a bedroom panel as a visual thermostat and lighting scene selector, with Matter and Zigbee devices bridged locally.
- In a kids’ room, restrict access to only lights, blinds and music scenes, avoiding heating and security controls.
Why this suits Australian homes
For multi-storey builds in the Southern Highlands, Illawarra and similar regions, a screen on each level cuts the need to reach for a phone just to dim lights or confirm that the alarm is set. During nbn outages, local Zigbee and Matter scenes can still run, keeping lighting, HVAC and basic security predictable.
NSPanel Pro also works well as a local energy dashboard when paired with inverters, battery systems and smart power meters. Presenting solar generation, battery charge and key loads on a hallway screen makes it easier for the household to buy into smart energy behaviours.
Home network upgrades: UniFi 10.3.55 focuses on security and resilience
The UniFi Network Application 10.3.55 release is a significant one for smart homes. It introduces Identity Firewall, deeper visibility into non-UniFi devices and improved DNS resiliency, alongside a raft of smaller fixes and quality-of-life updates.
Identity Firewall allows you to create rules around users rather than IP addresses. That makes it easier to enforce policies like “kids’ iPads cannot see cameras” or “guests cannot talk to solar and battery systems” even as devices roam between SSIDs or change addresses.
Device Supervisor and enhancements to the infrastructure topology view are also helpful for busy smart homes. UniFi can now better monitor third-party devices such as servers, sensors and bridges, and can automatically restart equipment that stops responding. Combined with DNS Assistance improvements, this gives your automation stack a more reliable foundation.
Practical steps for Australian deployments
- Schedule UniFi OS and Network upgrades during a defined maintenance window, especially on properties that rely on nbn for work-from-home or critical monitoring.
- Keep recent UniFi OS backups before making changes, so you can recover quickly if a controller or gateway misbehaves.
- Use VLANs and Identity Firewall rules to separate guest Wi-Fi, IoT segments and critical services such as solar inverters, pool systems and security cameras.
- Review DNS settings so that controllers, Home Assistant servers and cloud bridges always have fast, resilient name resolution.
As the number of connected devices per home rises, these sorts of networking refinements are no longer “nice to have”. They are essential infrastructure for a calm, responsive home where automation remains dependable.
Local integrations and no-cloud approaches
Several community projects this week underline a quiet return to local-first automation. A new Tasmota app for Homey Pro uses MQTT discovery to bring ESP8266/ESP32 devices into flows without cloud accounts. The Remeha Modbus app links heat pumps to Homey over Modbus TCP for direct monitoring and control, again with no internet dependency.
On the Home Assistant side, NFC tag techniques continue to evolve, turning simple stickers into context-aware triggers for routines such as leaving home, bedtime, cleaning modes or tariff-based heating changes. Together with subscription-free cameras like Eufy’s latest local-storage models, the pattern is clear: more homeowners are reclaiming control from vendor clouds.
Why local protocols matter
- Resilience: MQTT, Modbus, RTSP and direct TCP APIs continue to work when your ISP has an issue or a cloud service is retired.
- Privacy: Video, presence data and energy usage can stay on site rather than traversing third-party servers.
- Longevity: Local APIs avoid the risk of a vendor sunsetting a cloud platform and disabling hardware that is otherwise sound.
- Fine-grained control: Heat pumps, inverters and meters can be driven by your own tariff logic rather than opaque vendor presets.
Applications for Australian energy-conscious homes
With high rooftop solar adoption and emerging flexible tariffs, Australian properties are well placed to benefit from these approaches. Modbus or MQTT integrations can align heat pump operation, EV charging and hot water with real-time surplus solar. Local cameras and presence sensors can continue to secure the property even if an nbn outage takes cloud services offline.
NFC tags are a particularly low-cost tool. Placing tags near the garage, bedside tables or pool area lets family members trigger complex routines with a tap, without needing to navigate apps or voice assistants. Just remember to design backup paths and modest UPS coverage so that critical automations survive short power events.
Digital keys and smart locks: phone-as-key matures
Samsung’s latest SmartThings update highlights closer alignment between Samsung Wallet and Aliro-certified smart locks from brands such as Aqara, Nuki, ULTRALOQ and Schlage. At the same time, UL Solutions has launched dedicated Aliro testing services, giving manufacturers a path to independent validation of their digital key implementations.
The direction is clear. Phone-as-key is moving from brand-specific experiments towards a standards-backed ecosystem where NFC, Bluetooth and Ultra Wideband credentials can be provisioned, audited and revoked in a consistent way. That should gradually reduce the risk of lock-in to one vendor’s app for critical access control.
Design considerations for homeowners
- Confirm that any new lock is Aliro-certified or subject to equivalent third-party testing, and that it integrates cleanly with your chosen ecosystem (SmartThings, Apple Home, Home Assistant or others).
- Plan for failure scenarios: phones lost, batteries flat, guests without compatible devices. Maintain PIN pads and physical keys as fallbacks.
- For short-term rentals, enforce strong onboarding and offboarding processes for digital keys, and avoid sharing primary accounts with guests.
- Discuss installation and compliance with local locksmiths or security integrators, particularly where fire regulations and insurance requirements apply.
For Australian properties, this is an excellent moment to start aligning any planned lock upgrades with Aliro and similar standards. The goal is a front door that is as convenient to use as tapping a transit card, but still offers clear recovery paths and local unlock options during internet or phone issues.
Bringing it all together
This week’s themes line up neatly. Matter and Thread are reducing friction at the device layer. Wall panels and local-first integrations are surfacing control back onto the wall and into the home, instead of scattering it across phone apps and clouds. UniFi’s networking updates shore up the foundation, while standards like Aliro clarify how digital keys should behave.
If you are planning work on a premium Australian home this year, focus on three pillars: invest in a robust, segmented network; favour Matter- and Thread-capable devices backed by open or local APIs; and provide visible, local control points that your whole household can understand at a glance. The result is a smart home that feels simple, even as the underlying technology grows more capable.
What’s new in the smart home industry
The new year has kicked off with a wave of announcements that make it clear the connected home of 2026 will be faster, smarter and much more interoperable. January’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas delivered a slew of products built on open standards like Matter and the forthcoming Aliro smart‑lock protocol, while major platforms such as Home Assistant, Google, and Amazon showed how their software is evolving. Below is a roundup of the most important news for homeowners in the Southern Highlands and beyond.
Aliro smart‑lock standard arrives in early 2026
One of the most consequential announcements this month is the launch of the Aliro standard for smart locks. The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) told The Verge that Aliro has passed its final verification milestone and its first specification will arrive in Q1 2026. Aliro standardises tap‑to‑unlock using NFC and hands‑free unlocking via ultrawideband (UWB). Devices implementing Aliro will work offline because credentials live on your phone or watch, and communications between the lock and your device use asymmetric encryption, eliminating the need for a cloud connection. Aliro is a collaborative effort from Apple, Google and Samsung with support from lock makers like Schlage, Kwikset and Nuki. This unified approach should mean that residents will soon be able to use the same smartphone or smartwatch to unlock different brands of smart locks.
Aqara Smart Lock U400
While Aliro is still on the horizon, Aqara’s new Smart Lock U400, shown at CES, hints at what’s possible. The lock is Matter‑certified, Aliro‑ready, and works with Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, SmartThings and Home Assistant. A built‑in gyroscope provides an auto‑lock feature, and it connects directly via Thread, no hub required. The unit is weather‑resistant (IP65) and runs for around six months on a rechargeable battery. Reviewers noted that it uses UWB for hands‑free unlocking, simply walk up to the door and it unlocks.
CES 2026 smart‑home highlights
CES once again set the stage for the year’s innovations. This year, the focus wasn’t on entirely new categories but on improving staples such as lighting, locks, cameras and televisions and doing so with Matter‑over‑Thread connectivity and more affordable prices.
Lifx Smart Mirror
The Lifx Smart Mirror combines a makeup mirror with rich coloured lighting. It features front and rear LEDs for flattering illumination and ambience. Four buttons on the mirror not only control a built‑in defogging function and colour cycling but can be programmed to control other Lifx or Matter‑compatible devices, for instance, turning on a bathroom fan or unlocking the front door. Lifx plans a firmware update to switch its products from Matter‑over‑Wi‑Fi to Thread, and the mirror should ship in Q2 2026 for under $200.
Aqara W200 Thermostat Hub
Aqara’s W200 Thermostat Hub doubles as a Matter hub with Wi‑Fi, Thread and Zigbee radios. The touchscreen can display snapshots from a connected Aqara doorbell, and when paired with the upcoming U400 lock, can unlock the door right from the thermostat. Built‑in mmWave presence sensing wakes the screen as you approach and feeds occupancy data back to the thermostat. It’s among the first thermostats to support Apple’s Adaptive Temperature and Clean Energy Guidance, and it should launch soon at a mid‑range price.
Lockin V7 Max smart lock
The Lockin V7 Max pushes the smart‑lock envelope with wireless optical charging; a small puck beams power to the lock via a technology Lockin calls AuraCharge. Unlimited power enables features such as finger vein, palm vein and 3D facial recognition, dual cameras with a video doorbell, and interior/exterior touchscreens. An AI‑powered system called LockinAI can display avatars to greet visitors and analyse who comes and goes. The V7 supports Matter and is expected to ship later this year.
LG’s CLOiD home robot
LG’s CLOiD robot drew attention for bringing a “real Rosie the Robot” concept closer to reality. Demonstrations showed the robot folding laundry, loading a washer, putting food in the oven and retrieving drinks. It has an LG ThinQ smart‑home hub in its head, allowing it to orchestrate appliances without physically touching anything. LG is a member of the Home Connectivity Alliance, so if CLOiD ever ships, it should work with Matter or HCA‑compatible devices from brands like Samsung, GE and Electrolux.
GE Lighting smart shades
GE Lighting’s new Matter‑over‑Thread smart roller blinds make window treatments easier. The shades are designed to be stylish and screw‑free to install, use Thread for long battery life and stable connectivity, and are available in two colours with light‑filtering or blackout options. The product shows how Matter allows companies to repurpose premium products for a lower price; GE retooled the high‑end J Geiger shades to work without proprietary hubs. Pricing starts around US $300 for a 24‑inch‑wide shade.
Aqara G350 Matter camera
The Aqara G350 indoor camera is one of the first products to support the Matter 1.5 specification. It doubles as a Matter controller, Thread border router and Zigbee hub. The pan/tilt camera provides 360‑degree 4K coverage with 9× zoom, and footage can be stored locally via microSD card, in Aqara’s cloud or via whichever Matter platform you choose. Samsung SmartThings has announced support for the camera, but storage details are still being worked out.
Aqara multi‑state sensor P100 and FP400 presence sensor
CES also saw Aqara unveil smaller devices that bring more intelligence to the home. The P100 multi‑state sensor is a precision nine‑axis sensor designed to detect a wide range of events, such as glass breaking, windows or doors opening, appliances turning on or off, knocks and tilts. It includes both Thread and Zigbee radios, allowing it to connect directly to Matter ecosystems or via an Aqara hub. Aqara also teased the FP400 presence sensor, which uses mmWave radar to detect multiple people in different positions around a room, and it can be mounted on a wall rather than on the ceiling. The sensor provides fall detection and posture monitoring and could be used for safety applications. Pricing and availability for these sensors are expected later this year.
GE Profile smart fridge
GE Appliances’ Profile Smart 4‑Door French‑Door refrigerator thoughtfully integrates a compact Android tablet into the water dispenser. It can manage shopping lists, recipes and meal planning, and even features a built‑in barcode scanner and voice assistant so any family member can add items. A camera inside the fridge sends snapshots of the produce drawers to your phone, and GE notes that the tablet can be swapped out by removing two screws, so the fridge isn’t stuck with outdated tech.
Amazon Ember Artline TV
Amazon’s Ember Artline TV is a 4K QLED television with swappable frames that functions as both an art display and a smart‑home interface. It includes a built‑in mmWave sensor that can detect when you get up from the couch and trigger routines such as turning off the TV and turning on lights. A far‑field microphone array beneath the screen acts as an Alexa speaker so you can issue voice commands without a remote. A redesigned Fire TV interface puts smart‑home controls in a dedicated tab and will be available across all Fire TV models. The Ember Artline is due this spring, starting at US $899.
AI‑powered smart‑home innovations
While many CES announcements focused on hardware specs and standards, a parallel trend this year was the integration of artificial intelligence directly into household fixtures. A roundup from the National Association of Realtors highlighted several devices that use AI to make homes more intuitive. LG’s AI Home Robot connects to the company’s ThinQ platform and can fold laundry, organise the fridge and even load the dishwasher, all while navigating the home autonomously and learning your daily routines. Samsung’s EdgeAware AI Home system analyses sounds and activity throughout the home, detecting up to 12 distinct sounds such as breaking glass, running water and prolonged coughing; it sends alerts and wellness insights without sending private data to the cloud.
Other innovations include Ceragem’s AI Rejuvenation Shower System, which uses sensors and an integrated smart mirror to analyse skin hydration, oil and pigmentation and then automatically adjust water chemistry to dispense personalised skincare treatments. Deepscent AI creates custom fragrances by blending scents based on mood, music and environmental context and integrates with your smart home. Eoneoms’ HEYMIRROR is a smart dressing mirror that offers outfit recommendations using real‑time data about weather, calendar events and the user’s preferences.
AI is also improving safety. Hansunst’s AI Smart Fire Detector uses machine learning and multi‑sensor technology to distinguish real fires from smoke caused by cooking or candles. The SPINO S1 Pro robotic pool cleaner maps and cleans complex pool layouts and returns to shore automatically to recharge. ALLIE by Arqaios embeds sensors and AI into light switches, outlets and vents to provide intrusion detection, energy optimisation, and fall detection using mmWave radar. Finally, Sonic Fire Tech’s waterless wildfire defence system uses low‑frequency acoustic waves to neutralise airborne embers and protect homes.
These examples demonstrate how AI is moving beyond voice assistants to quietly enhance comfort, safety and personalisation.
Matter and Thread update for 2026
January 1 marked an important deadline for the Thread protocol. According to the independent Matter site Matter‑SmartHome, new Thread border routers must now be certified on Thread 1.4, meaning that devices using the older Thread 1.3 specification are no longer accepted. Thread 1.4 improves battery life and standardises Thread Credentials so that newly installed border routers can join an existing network rather than creating a separate mesh. The site notes that a growing number of brands, including Ikea, Aqara, Bosch, Level, Meross, Philips Hue and Yale, have released Thread products, while platforms like SmartThings and Ikea Dirigera have begun implementing Thread 1.4. However, some ecosystems remain on Matter 1.2 or 1.3, leading to differences in supported functions across platforms.
For homeowners, the key takeaway is that Thread 1.4 devices will deliver better battery life and more reliable networks. If you’re buying new gear in 2026, look for products certified under Matter 1.4 or higher.
BroadLink RM MAX IR/RF hub brings older appliances into the smart home
Not everyone can replace every appliance when a new standard arrives. Recognising this, Chinese manufacturer BroadLink introduced the RM MAX “Matter SuperBridge” at CES. The hub converts infrared (IR) and radio‑frequency (RF) commands into IP‑based control, allowing legacy appliances like air‑conditioners, heaters and fans to be managed through Apple Home or other Matter ecosystems. BroadLink says the RM MAX supports more than 98 percent of IR and RF appliance brands and can operate entirely locally without an internet connection. A mesh networking feature lets the system support up to 4,096 devices with a range of about 80 metres per node, making it suitable for large homes or light commercial properties. The device stores all data locally on the hub to reduce privacy risks and is scheduled for commercial release in February 2026.
Home Assistant 2026.1
The open‑source Home Assistant platform released version 2026.1 on January 7, 2026. The update brings a refreshed mobile dashboard with summary cards for lights, climate, security, media and energy at the top of the view. It also introduces a new Devices page so you can quickly find and manage devices that aren’t assigned to a specific area. A big focus of this release is purpose‑specific triggers and conditions: instead of configuring automations using technical state changes, you can now select triggers like “When a light turns on” or “If the climate is heating”. New trigger types include buttons, climate modes, device tracking, humidifiers, lights, locks, scenes, sirens and update availability. There are also eight new integrations, including pet tracking via Fressnapf, energy monitoring with eGauge and smart heating control with Watts Vision+.
AI voice assistant updates
Gemini for Home by Google
Google began rolling out its Gemini for Home voice assistant in late 2025. Early access started on October 28, 2025, in the United States and on December 18, 2025, in Canada, with more regions to come. Once you switch to Gemini for Hom,e it applies to all compatible speakers and displays in your household, and you can’t revert back to Google Assistant. Basic features such as smart‑home control, media search, alarms, timers, calendars, notes and reminders are free, while premium features like Gemini Live require a subscription.
Alexa+ expansions from Amazon
Amazon used CES 2026 to showcase the continued evolution of its Alexa+ AI assistant. The company announced Alexa.com, bringing the full power of Alexa+ to the web so you can access voice‑driven features from any browser. Early Access customers have been using Alexa+ for nine months, and Amazon says users are engaging twice as much in conversations, making three times more purchases and requesting five times more recipes. Alexa.com blends information with real‑world actions, from managing calendars and controlling smart devices to planning meals and making reservations.
Amazon also announced new Alexa+ integrations, bringing the assistant to BMW cars, Samsung smart TVs, Bosch coffee makers, and health wearables like Oura rings. Alexa+ will thus be available across more of the devices Australians use daily.
Final thoughts
This month’s news shows that 2026 will be a pivotal year for the smart home. Open standards are finally taking centre stage, with Matter and Thread quickly becoming requirements, and Aliro promising to unify smart‑lock authentication. Thread 1.4 devices will deliver better battery life and more reliable networks, so check the specifications before buying. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence is moving beyond voice assistants to support robots that fold laundry, mirrors that dress us and sensors that can detect falls or wildfires. You don’t have to discard older appliances to join the modern home; hubs like BroadLink’s RM MAX can translate IR/RF controls into Matter so that even decades‑old heaters and fans can be automated. For residents of the Highlands looking to upgrade, choose products that support the latest Matter and Thread specifications and plan for Aliro‑compatible locks later this year. And if you’re a Home Assistant user, now is a great time to explore the new dashboard and automation features.
The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) recently announced the Zigbee 4.0 specification. Almost ten years after Zigbee 3.0 unified multiple profiles into a single stack, the next generation aims to keep the protocol relevant as Matter gains momentum. In this post we highlight what’s new in Zigbee 4.0, compare it to Zigbee 3.0, and examine how it stacks up against other smart‑home technologies like Z‑Wave and Thread.
What’s new in Zigbee 4.0?
Extended range with Suzi (Sub‑GHz Zigbee). Traditional Zigbee uses the crowded 2.4 GHz band, limiting its ability to penetrate walls. Zigbee 4.0 introduces Suzi, a new profile that allows devices to use the 800 MHz and 900 MHz bands (800 MHz in Europe, 900 MHz in North America) in addition to 2.4 GHz. Lower‑frequency radio waves travel farther and are less susceptible to interference, so Suzi enables greater range, improved wall penetration, and better coverage outdoors. The CSA notes that Suzi will particularly benefit smart‑energy and industrial deployments and certification for Suzi devices is expected to begin in early 2026.
Improved security and reliability. Zigbee 4.0 addresses evolving cybersecurity threats with a suite of new mechanisms. It introduces Dynamic Link Key, Device Interview and Authentication Level Control to vet devices joining the network and assign security levels. Additional tools – Restricted Mode, Secured Channel, PAN ID changes and Trust‑Center swap‑out – make it harder for unauthorised devices to alter the network. An Advanced Frame Counter Synchronization feature helps prevent replay attacks and improves routing. Reliability improvements include standardised network‑level retries, better polling for sleepy devices, expanded APS acknowledgements and coordinated sample listening (CSL) for sleepy‑to‑sleepy communications.
Simpler onboarding and commissioning. Zigbee Direct—an optional feature introduced in 3.0—is now mandatory. It allows users to onboard and control Zigbee devices directly from a smartphone via Bluetooth Low Energy without a hub. A new Batch Commissioning process lets installers add multiple devices at once, speeding up large projects. For end‑users, these features mean less reliance on proprietary hubs and smoother installation.
Backward compatibility and certification. According to the CSA and industry reports, Zigbee 4.0 is fully backwards compatible with Zigbee 3.0 and Smart Energy devices. Devices with sufficient resources may be eligible for over‑the‑air upgrades, although certification details are still emerging. The certification process itself has been streamlined, enabling manufacturers to bring products to market more quickly.
Zigbee 4.0 vs Zigbee 3.0
Zigbee 3.0, standardised in 2015, unified various profiles and has been widely adopted by Philips Hue, IKEA and other brands. It operates primarily on the 2.4 GHz band, supports data rates up to 250 kbit/s, allows networks with tens of thousands of nodes and uses AES‑128 encryption for security. Features like over‑the‑air updates and child device management came with the Zigbee Pro specification. The table below summarises how Zigbee 4.0 improves upon 3.0.
| Feature | Zigbee 3.0 | Zigbee 4.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency bands | Primarily 2.4 GHz; some sub‑GHz implementations for Smart Energy | 2.4 GHz and new 800 MHz/900 MHz Sub‑GHz bands via Suzi |
| Data rate | Up to 250 kbit/s | Similar throughput (still based on IEEE 802.15.4), but improved reliability with network‑level retries and enhanced polling |
| Range & coverage | Typical indoor range 10–100 m, with mesh extension; limited wall penetration on 2.4 GHz | Sub‑GHz support increases signal range and wall penetration; suitable for outdoor and industrial applications |
| Security | AES‑128 encryption and install codes | Adds Dynamic Link Key, Device Interview, Authentication Level Control, Restricted Mode, Secured Channel, Trust‑Center swap and Advanced Frame Counter synchronisation |
| Commissioning | Requires a hub or gateway; Zigbee Direct optional | Zigbee Direct mandatory, enabling smartphone onboarding via BLE; Batch Commissioning for multi‑device setup |
| Reliability enhancements | Standard mesh networking with retries; sleepy devices use polling | Standardised network‑level retries, improved polling for sleepy devices, expanded APS acknowledgements and Coordinated Sample Listening for sleepy‑to‑sleepy communication |
| Certification | Devices must be certified; process can be lengthy | Simplified certification process and unified network architecture, plus full backward compatibility |
How Zigbee 4.0 compares to Z‑Wave and Thread
Z‑Wave. Z‑Wave is a proprietary mesh protocol used in many smart‑home devices. It operates in the 868–916 MHz sub‑GHz band, avoids interference from Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth, and provides data rates up to 100 kbit/s. A typical Z‑Wave network supports up to 232 devices, while the newer Z‑Wave Long Range (LR) mode extends the network to 4,000 nodes and can reach 1.6 km. Z‑Wave devices must be included in a network using a controller and are secured by AES‑128 encryption. Zigbee 4.0’s addition of sub‑GHz bands narrows the range gap with Z‑Wave and, thanks to Suzi, offers similar long‑range coverage with an open, royalty‑free specification. However, Z‑Wave’s matured ecosystem and long‑range star topology in Z‑Wave LR still provide strong competition for large properties.
Thread. Thread is an IPv6‑based, low‑power mesh networking protocol built on IEEE 802.15.4 at 2.4 GHz. Unlike Zigbee and Z‑Wave, Thread devices can communicate directly without a dedicated hub, forming a self‑healing mesh. Thread networks can support over 250 devices with up to 64 routers and are IP‑addressable, meaning any Thread device can talk to other IP devices, including Wi‑Fi routers and smartphones. Latency is very low because devices proactively search for optimal routes. Thread is not suited for high‑bandwidth applications like video streaming; it’s designed for sensors and actuators. Zigbee 4.0 remains a non‑IP protocol but now supports BLE onboarding and improved security, while Thread’s IP foundation and hub‑less design make it a central piece of the Matter ecosystem.
What the Next Generation of Zigbee Means for Smart‑Home Owners
Zigbee 4.0 is more than a simple revision; it’s a major evolution designed to extend Zigbee’s relevance in an increasingly Matter‑centric world. By adding sub‑GHz support via Suzi, introducing robust security mechanisms and streamlining device onboarding, Zigbee 4.0 offers better range, reliability and user experience than Zigbee 3.0. While Z‑Wave still excels in long‑range sub‑GHz connectivity and Thread provides a modern, IP‑based alternative, the open nature and enormous install base of Zigbee make 4.0 an attractive choice for manufacturers and consumers alike. As certification and products roll out in 2026, smart‑home enthusiasts will have yet another compelling option in their connectivity toolkit.