Smart home news, reviews, and guides — making your home smarter.
Smart home news, reviews, and guides — making your home smarter.
Mark Gurman reports Apple is developing a smart home camera (codenamed J450) that won’t record video. Instead, the device uses on-device Apple Intelligence to analyze the room and report in text: who entered, what happened. No footage, no cloud uploads, no subscription — a privacy-first challenge to Ring, Nest, and Arlo. Not expected at the October 13 event, but it signals Apple’s long-term smart home strategy.
Read MoreVerified smart home deals for October 5, 2026: Ring Wired Doorbell Plus at 47% off, Yale Assure Lock 2 at 37% off, plus robot vacuum deals from Roborock and Shark at Best Buy. All prices confirmed on live product pages.
Read MoreEZVIZ has launched a dedicated smart home security ecosystem in Australia with six new devices — cameras, video doorbells, smart locks, and a control screen — unified by one app and built around subscription-free local storage. Here is what the launch includes, how the pricing model differs from rivals, and why the company is betting on Australia’s fast-growing security market.
Read MoreApple is reportedly adding new device categories to HomeKit while working directly with third-party manufacturers ahead of its October 13 smart home hardware launch. We break down what the expansion means for the Siri-powered home hub, why ecosystem depth matters more than new chips, and what to watch as Apple takes on Amazon and Google in the smart home.
Read MoreApple Stores worldwide have received confidential boxes marked ‘Do Not Open Until October 8,’ believed to contain visual merchandising for new product displays. The timing points to an imminent announcement of Apple’s long-rumored smart home hub, new HomePod mini, and Apple TV 4K — reportedly arriving on October 13. Here’s what the retail preparations reveal about Apple’s biggest smart home push yet.
Read MoreUGREEN’s HomeAgent is a local AI smart home hub with the on-device Uliya LLM, Matter and Thread support, plus NAS and camera NVR storage — no cloud subscriptions. Pre-orders are open at $899 ahead of an October 27 Kickstarter, with shipping in 2027. Here’s what the HA100, HA100 Pro, and MasterAgent MA100 offer.
Read MoreSwitchBot’s new RGBICWW Light Bars pair individually addressable RGB color with tunable 2200K-6500K white light up to 800 lumens, connect over Matter via Wi-Fi with no hub required, and can even signal AI agent status through an API. The pair costs $45.99 ($36.99 with coupon) and works with Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings, and Home Assistant.
Read MoreToday’s best smart home deals include the Ring Battery Doorbell 2K at 60% off, the Echo Dot (5th Gen) for $39.99, Shark’s PowerDetect UV Reveal vac-and-mop at 42% off, plus discounts on the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium and eufy Smart Lock E31. Every price was verified on the retailer’s product page on October 4, 2026. Act fast — these smart home deals can change or sell out at any time.
Read MoreSamsung has confirmed that all of IKEA’s Matter-over-Thread devices — smart bulbs, plugs, remotes, and sensors — now connect directly to compatible SmartThings hubs, no DIRIGERA hub required. Here is the full list of supported devices and what they can automate in your home.
Read MoreA new report claims Apple’s long-rumored Home Hub will use AI-powered facial recognition instead of Face ID, potentially personalizing the smart display for everyone in the household ahead of its rumored October 13 launch.
Read More