IKEA plans to overhaul its smart home lineup with full Matter support, making its budget-friendly products compatible with Apple Home and other ecosystems without requiring the company's own hub, reports The Verge. Starting in January 2026, the Swedish furniture giant will release more than 20 new Matter-over-Thread smart lights, sensors, and remotes. The products will work directly with Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings through native Matter compatibility. Pricing will remain comparable to current products, which start under $10. To recap, Thread is a low-power wireless mesh protocol that runs on the 2.4GHz band and is designed for devices such as sensors, bulbs, plugs, and shades. It's IP-based, so devices can talk directly to each other over…

Apple TV devices will support Thread 1.4 when tvOS 26 launches this fall, according to network analysis by Matter Alpha. The update was discovered in the tvOS 26 beta announced at WWDC, suggesting the upcoming HomePod Software 26 will also support the latest version of the protocol. Thread 1.4 addresses a particular issue in the form of competing Thread networks. Previously, border routers from different manufacturers would create separate networks, which fragments your smart home setup. The new standard ensures all Thread 1.4 devices join a single mesh network instead. The protocol update also gives Thread devices direct internet access, enabling features like smart shades that adjust based on weather conditions or lights that change color with sports scores. Since…

At the heart of Matter, the new smart home standard co-developed by Apple, lies Thread. Matter utilizes Thread as its foundation, including it in Apple’s HomeKit smart home platform. Designed specifically for internet-connected devices (IoT), Thread boasts advantages over Bluetooth. This low-power, low-bandwidth mesh networking protocol offers faster speeds and extended range, making it perfect for seamlessly connecting smart home devices like lights, locks, thermostats, and sensors. And, nearly all of Apple’s newest Macs and iPads contain an unannounced Thread radio. Jennifer Pattison Tuohy for The Verge: ‎ When Apple announced the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max last fall, the company surprised everyone by putting a Thread radio in its top-of-the-line smartphones. Now, it turns out Apple also quietly…

Apple's tvOS 16 software update, released in 2023, brought a host of new features and improvements to the Apple TV ecosystem. These enhancements aimed to make the Apple TV experience more convenient, personalized, and immersive, further cementing its position as a leading streaming device. (more…)

Eve Systems today announced that its Matter-enabled wall-in Eve Energy Outlet is available for purchase both from the Eve Store and from Amazon. Announced back in December, the Eve Energy Outlet is able to replace any existing outlet in a single or multi-gang installation. It connects to a smart home setup using Thread, and has Matter integration. There are two receptacles that can be controlled individually, and it offers advanced energy monitoring functionality so users can see how much energy devices are consuming. Energy monitoring is supported in the Eve app. The Eve Energy Outlet is able to integrate with other HomeKit products thanks to Matter, so it can be used with automations and can be controlled through the Home…

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we catch up on the latest rumors about Apple's iPhone 15 lineup. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos Apple's ‌iPhone 15‌ lineup is expected to be announced in around two months. A growing pool of rumors about the devices present an increasingly clear picture of what to expect: The ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus are set to gain the Dynamic Island, the A16 Bionic chip, a USB-C port in place of Lightning, and support for 15W wireless charging with third-party chargers. The iPhone 15 Pro and ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max are expected to offer even further upgrades with features like a new titanium frame, thinner bezels, the A17…