Aqara’s Smart Lock U600 is on sale in the UK for £229.99. It is built for British multipoint doors on uPVC, composite and timber frames, and it speaks Matter over Thread with Apple Home Key and Samsung Wallet Key. Coverage on 14 October 2026 put the lock on Amazon.co.uk and Aqara’s UK channels at that price.
Google's release notes for 14 October 2026 include a change that Philips Hue owners will notice: existing Hue bridges linked to Google Home are upgraded in the background to local Matter control through Google Home hubs. Google promises faster responses and better reliability, and you do not have to re-pair anything.
Apple announced HomeView on 13 October 2026: a 7-inch Liquid Retina smart display meant as a household hub for entertainment, FaceTime and Apple Home control. Tabletop and wall-mounted models both start at $299 (U.S.). Pre-orders opened the same day in several markets, with shipping from 13 November. The device is not for sale in the European Union
Jasco announced on 13 October 2026 that it has acquired Zooz, a smart home brand known for its Z-Wave products and its reputation among enthusiasts, integrators and installers. The Oklahoma City company makes consumer electronics, connected home products and lighting, and says it will keep Zooz running as a separate brand. The announcement does not
The Home Assistant Companion app for Android is getting native media controls. A pull request merged on 12 October 2026 lets the app show selected media_player entities in Android's notification shade, using the same media panel that Spotify or YouTube Music use. You can pause a speaker in the kitchen or skip a track on the living room TV without o
Shelly pushed Wall Display firmware 2.8.0 to the stable channel on 11 October 2026. Modern panels become both a Matter controller and a Matter accessory. You commission third-party Matter devices on the display, put them on the same home screen as Shelly tiles, and you can also add the panel itself to Apple Home, Google Home, SmartThings, Home Assi
Home Assistant Core 2026.10.1 landed on 10 October 2026, three days after 2026.10.0. It is a bug-fix patch in the usual weekly cadence: no new headline features, but several fixes that matter if you updated early to the October release.
Shelly released two door and window sensors on 8 October 2026 after previewing them at IFA 2026. Both speak Zigbee 3.0 and Bluetooth 5 LE at once, report open/close plus tilt angle, and are sold now on Shelly.com and through authorised resellers. The compact Mini is €15.90; the outdoor model is €18.90.
Home Assistant 2026.10 shipped on 7 October 2026 under the title "You are here". A first patch, 2026.10.1, followed on 10 October. The release rebuilds the map, exposes more Matter device settings, and finally gives trigger IDs a proper place in the automation editor.
