This is Issue #65 of the Smart Homes School weekly newsletter, free smart home news for professionals and enthusiasts, every Wednesday. Subscribe here to get it in your inbox first.
Good morning, smart home enthusiasts, and a warm welcome to our newest reader. Apple finally showed its hand on Tuesday: a $299 home hub, a full range of its own cameras, locks and thermostats, and professional installation through ADT. That’s the lead, and it needs a careful read if you work in Europe. I’ve also got a breakdown of the brands behind this year’s award-winning integrator projects, UniFi starting to show Thread devices on the network map, and a Ring lock you can recharge by hand.
Apple Moves In: HomeView, Its Own Devices, and ADT Installs
Apple’s “Welcome home” event delivered what Issue 64 previewed and then some. HomeView is a $299 hub with a seven-inch display, sold as a countertop unit or a wall-mount version with Schneider Electric mounts. It runs Apple’s new Siri AI, recognises up to six faces to personalise what’s on screen, and has no App Store. Alongside it came HomePod mini 2 ($149, on sale October 30) and a new Apple TV 4K ($299) that can pair with up to four HomePods.
The bigger story is the Apple Home Collection, built with LG and Schneider Electric: a video doorbell ($249.95), floodlight, outdoor and indoor cameras, a Smart Deadbolt ($349.95), thermostats ($199.95) and sensors ($39.95). Every device uses Thread, setup is a single tap with no extra app or account, and a home hub is required. Most products arrive in December.
Then there’s Europe. Apple says HomeView won’t be sold in the EU at launch because Siri AI isn’t available there. Ireland and the rest of the EU sit this one out for now, while the UK gets the hub and the cameras.
Why It Matters
- Apple Retail will offer ADT installation for an added fee in the US this fall. Apple is now selling the install, not only the box, so expect clients to arrive with a quote already in hand.
- The Smart Deadbolt supports Matter and Aliro with ultra-wideband unlock, and the thermostats and sensors are Matter too. The cameras and doorbell are Thread but aren’t listed as Matter, so plan mixed systems with care.
- Regions are patchy: cameras for the US, Canada and UK, the lock and thermostats for the US and Canada. Check availability before you put anything in a proposal.
Sources: Apple Newsroom, MacRumors, MacRumors (EU)
What 30 Award-Winning Homes Say About Integrator Brands
CE Pro went through all 30 of its 2026 Home of the Year projects to see which brands integrators actually reach for. Control4 ran 13 projects and Crestron 7, with Josh.ai turning up in 6. Lutron lighting appeared in 16 projects, 12 of them full HomeWorks systems, and Snap One or ADI infrastructure sat in 24 of the 30. Araknis networking showed up 17 times.
Why It Matters
- Lighting and the network are where the money and the brand loyalty sit, not just the control system on top.
- Energy management barely featured, which looks like a gap the top end hasn’t filled yet.
Source: CE Pro
UniFi Network 11 Puts Thread Devices on the Map
Ubiquiti’s UniFi Network Application 11 can now add Matter over Thread devices using their pairing code, then show battery level, firmware version, signal strength and how each device connects. IP and Thread devices sit together in one topology view, with custom alerts and a Time Machine view of how the network has changed.
Why It Matters
- It monitors only. Automations and control stay with the existing Matter controller.
- It needs a UniFi OS gateway on 6.0.10 or later, IPv6 and mDNS enabled, and an existing border router such as a HomePod or Apple TV. Rollout is staged, so check the client’s version first.
Source: Matter Devices
Ring’s First Smart Lock Recharges With a Twist
Ring announced a $249 smart lock with fingerprint, keypad, app and Alexa access, designed to fit a standard single-cylinder deadbolt. A hand-turned dial tops up the battery, so a flat lock never leaves anyone standing outside.
Why It Matters
- US launch is early 2027, pending FCC authorization, and it leans on Amazon Sidewalk, which is US only.
- No Matter or Thread support is listed, so it’s an Alexa and Ring household lock rather than a cross-platform one.
Source: The Next Web
Worth Reading This Week
- Anthropic Warns AI Could Copy Itself Onto Smart Home Devices: Anthropic’s red team says small AI models may be months away from self-replicating onto poorly secured gear like smart TVs and fridges. No model managed it in testing yet, but it’s one more reason to segment and patch client networks.
- Hue Lights Get Zigbee and Matter at the Same Time: Firmware 1.164.2 brings Matter 1.4.1 and lets recent Hue lights stay on Zigbee while also joining Matter over Thread.
- A Google TV Streamer With Presence Sensing: The next model adds microphones and presence sensing, another sign the TV box is becoming a home hub.
- Amazon Swaps Fire Tablets for Alexa Tablets: Android, Google Play and Alexa+ built in, from $229.99.
- LEDVANCE Joins Works With Home Assistant: 116 Matter over Wi-Fi lights, plugs and switches certified for local control.
- Sigenergy Launches a Heat Pump That Talks to the Battery: SigenFlux uses spare solar and schedules heating around dynamic tariffs.
- How to Check a Product Is Really Matter Certified: A practical guide from a catalog tracking close to 1,900 certified models (affiliate links).
- Ring Goes 4K Across Its Camera Range: Outdoor, spotlight, floodlight and indoor 4K models, several with PoE options.
- Testing Beta Matter Firmware Through Apple Home: Fine for a lab setup, risky on a client system.
- How Long Does a Smart Home Installation Take?: Realistic timelines from a single room to a whole home.
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About Smart Homes School Weekly
Smart Homes School Weekly is published every Wednesday by Gerard O’Driscoll from Ireland. It covers smart home technology, AI and automation news for professionals, consultants, installers and serious enthusiasts. Browse the full archive here.