A Major Shift in Smart Home Compatibility
Aeotec has unveiled the Smart Home Hub 2 with a controversial decision: the new hub drops support for Z-Wave. The hub supports Matter, Zigbee 3.0, and functions as a Thread border router, but Z-Wave devices are not compatible. This marks a significant departure from the previous generation.
What the New Hub Offers
The Smart Home Hub 2 doubles the performance of its predecessor with additional RAM and a faster processor. A Bluetooth Low Energy radio handles device onboarding. The hub processes automations locally rather than relying on cloud connectivity, ensuring smart home functions continue during internet outages.
The Z-Wave Dilemma
Z-Wave has been a staple for over two decades, but the introduction of Matter has shifted industry momentum toward IP-based protocols. For hub manufacturers, supporting Matter, Thread, and Zigbee covers the vast majority of current and future smart home devices.
Impact on Existing Setups
Users with Z-Wave devices must keep them connected to a separate hub or replace them. For users building a new smart home, the hub’s Matter and Thread support offers excellent future-proofing as the industry converges around the Matter standard.
