Smart home gear is getting more common, but the words used to talk about it can get confusing. You might see things like Matter, Thread, or Zigbee on boxes or in setup menus and wonder what they mean.

The prospect of smart home products all seamlessly working together across ecosystems is an idea we've been sold for years. In the early days of smart home ecosystems, everything operated ...

Thread is a protocol designed to connect smart home devices in a wireless mesh network. It works much like Wi-Fi but requires less power. With Thread, devices from any manufacturer can create a ...

Artificial intelligence can make smart homes smarter, help us manage our days, and even help us plan major life changes. This series looks at the new — and sometimes surprising — ways AI is being used ...

The update comes with iOS 18 and also uses the Thread radio in newer iPhones to control devices like the Eve Light Switch locally without additional hardware. The update comes with iOS 18 and also ...

Ikea is making big changes to its smart home lineup, introducing 20 new devices supporting Matter-over-Thread that will work with HomeKit without needing an intermediary hub. Homeowners wanting smart ...

Last month's Ikea's announcement of more than 20 new Matter-over-Thread devices felt like a much-needed breakthrough moment for the high-profile smart home standard. If Ikea—a brand with a broad, not ...

A new regulatory filing shows Ikea is planning a temperature and humidity sensor that will use Matter-over-Thread, meaning HomeKit users won't be required to also buy an Ikea hub. Up until now, the ...

Level has been building smart locks that feel like they were made for Apple users since the very beginning, and the new Level Lock Pro (affiliate link) might be its most exciting upgrade yet. I have ...

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, ...