On the latest episode of the HomeKit Insider Podcast, Samsung SmartThings and Aqara have massive Matter updates, including new features for Apple Home users. There’s also the upcoming launch of the Ballie robot and a quick review of the UAG Monarch AirTag holder.
Both Samsung and Aqara had major Matter updates coming this past week. Notably, Samsung is adding support for a ton of new Matter devices found in the 1.4 update to the Matter spec.
Aqara followed suit, adding more than 40 device types of its own. Among the new supported devices include robotic vacuums, air quality sensors, water valves, vehicle chargers, solar panels, and more.
Aqara went one step further though, adding something it calls advanced bridging. This brings support for these Matter devices to other ecosystems, like Apple home, even if they aren’t currently supported natively.
They also are allowing you to pass over custom signals and scenes created in the Aqara app. Something like a person using a gesture to a camera or a certain fingerprint being read on a door lock can act as triggers for scenes.
These updates are available now for many devices, including the Hub M3. Aqara just a week ago introduced new updates for its new G3 Pro camera as well.
In other news, Eve has announced the Eve Energy has greater support on Android. It now uses native Google Home APIs to deliver energy monitoring in the Google Home app.
The maker of Flipper Zero has a new product coming up. It’s called the Busy Bar and is a tech-focused way to help you stay on task.
There’s a retro display on the front with a countdown timer and other graphics. The top has a button where you can start and stop your timer.
It works with Matter, and by extension, Apple Home. So when you press the button to start focusing, you can mute all notifications, set a timer, and adjust your office lights at once.
Finally, we wrap the episode by doing a review on the UAG Monarch AirTag case. This ultra-durable metal and plastic carabiner gives the AirTag a rugged look and added protection.
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