Note: I should state that I’m taking this information both from what can be gleaned from the claim in the Apple document (link below) and my communications with someone involved in making devices that work with Apple Home. That being the case, there could be possible misunderstandings as to what Apple intends, but with little to go on, the following is what has been understood.

In the release notes in Apple’s List of Home Enhancements in iOS18 PDF, it states the following;

The post Does iOS18 Offer a Hub-Free Option to Apple Home Users? appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

This is bulb meant to be seen, however, in part due to the shape, but also for the fact it uses LiFX’ own ‘Polychrome’ technology. This allows the bulb to display not just the now standard 16 million colours (it can offer billions apparently), but multiple colours at once. The specs state the T10 bulb has 104 individual LEDs with a massive 52 controllable zones. That’s insane for a light bulb! However, it’s just as well this bulb is meant for mood lighting, as it tops out at a mere 5.2W at full brightness, so this isn’t going to perform as well for decently lit areas.

As with all LiFX releases since it was obtained by US lighting company Feat Electric, this new bulb adopts the Matter standard, using Matter over WiFi for its method of connection/communication to you smart home. This means aside from a Matter Controller, no hub is required. Aside from supporting the four major Matter compatible platforms – Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings, it will also work with Home Assistant and even Razer Chroma for all the avid gamers out there.

Currently the bulb is available to purchase in the United States for US$39.98 at Home Depot. Whether it’ll come to other territories is not clear, although it does work with both 110~120V and 220~240V systems.

The post New Matter Enabled Tube Light from LiFX Now Available appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

This is the fourth gateway to be released by Zemismart over close to the last three years, with the original HomeKit compatible hub being released back in October of 2021. This was superseded a couple of years later with a new model that from appearances, looks identical to this latest offering, but not before the company also released the Smart Matter Hub M1, their first Zigbee hub that included both a Matter Controller and a Thread Border Router (video HERE, review HERE).

Now, with the latest release, which in some ways combines aspects of all previous hubs, we get a Zigbee hub to work with Tuya devices, but instead of using Apple HomeKit, or the cloud-based legacy connections for Google and Amazon, it uses Matter. This essentially means this is a cut down version of the M1 hub, so it does utilise Zigbee for Tuya devices, and it can connect to all Matter compatible platforms, due to its Matter credentials, but it can’t work with Thread devices, or act as a Matter controller for the Tuya ecosystem, which would allow for third-party Matter devices to connect to Tuya. It does beg the question as to who this is aimed at though, but despite the omissions compared to the fully featured M1, the M6 does have an antenna that the company told me has a 330m / 1082 ft reach (without barriers) for devices connected to it, which sounds extraordinary.

Like recent previous models, the M6 continues the trend towards USB-C with a power port utilising this method, as well as an ethernet port for a wired connection. There’s no wireless option for the hub.

Despite the packaging stating it’s a Tuya Zigbee gateway, it is a ZemiSmart product, as is evidenced from the branding on the front of the hub. It is primarily designed to work with Tuya certified Zigbee devices, however.

The packaging states the hub model is the T1, which is at odds with the product itself, which is listed as the M6 on the underside of the hub, alongside the Matter QR code. As this is Matter compatible, Apple Home users, as well as Google, Amazon, SmartThings, and Home Assistant users can all benefit from it, with Amazon and Google with the most to gain from leaving the legacy cloud connectivity behind in favour of local control. For Apple Home users, the benefits are more apparent if you’re coming from the company’s original hub, but much less so from the M1 with its Thread Border Router and Matter Controller features.

The package comes with a USB-A to USB-C cable, and an ethernet cable, but no power supply, which is standard these days. The M6 is due for release soon, although we don’t have a confirmed date as of yet, but we’re told the M6 will be competitively priced, which is typically the case for ZemiSmart products, even with the release of a whole slew of products that use Matter, with either Thread or WiFi.

The post ZemiSmart to Release New M6 Matter Compatible Zigbee Hub appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

We tested this device, and compare it to our existing (but now ageing) Roborock S6. Watch the video to see how they compare.

You can purchase the K10+ Pro from Amazon stores in your region using the (affiliate) links below, which cost you nothing extra but help us buy more products for review, to keep you informed on how products perform.

• Amazon US
• Amazon DE
• Amazon UK

The post The SwitchBot K10+ Pro Mini Smart Vacuum (video) appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

The visual differences are a large front docking sensor, and instead of a shiny black frontage where the robot vacuum couples with the docking station, the Pro model opts for a matte grey finish.

Inside, it’s a different story, with the company claiming the K10+ Pro reaches hard to reach areas better than its predecessor. The main rubber and bristle brush on the underside has now been replaced with an all rubber version, which should make tangled hairs a thing of the past. The battery remains the same, at 3,200mAh, but the motor has had a 20% bump, so you now get 3,000Pa instead of 2,500Pa in the original model.

And finally, whilst both models use LiDar SLAM technology for mappings and object avoidance, the new model comes with a position Sensitive Dectector, which aims to improve the robot from bumping into things, but also improve the mapping of your home.

Both models come with a docking station that also removes debris collected by the vacuum, and stores it in a disposable bag that doesn’t need replacing for up to 90 days. Unlike their flagship model, the S10, the mopping functionality of the K10+ Pro is secondary, with only the use of mopping pads wrapped around a special attachment, for when you want to give your floors a bit of a wipe.

The K10+ Pro is also Matter compatible, although only via one of the company’s own hubs – the SwitchBot Hub 2, or the SwitchBot Hub Mini (w/Matter) – which then allows the vacuum to be exposed to Matter ecosystems. However, despite the Matter standard now supporting robovacs, the platforms themselves, including Apple Home, do have some catching up to do, so at present, the K10+ Pro, once added to Apple Home, only appears as a basic on/off device, much like a smart plug. this allows the vacuum to be activated or sent back to the docking station, but not much else. With iOS18, it is hoped that more granular control of these devices will be accessible from within the Home app, however, although floor plans, and other advanced features will almost certainly be the preserve of the manufacturers’ own apps.

The SwitchBot Mini Robot Vacuum K10+ Pro is available now on Amazon stores in the US (with a US$180 OFF coupon), Canada, Germany, and the UK, for US$599.99 / CA$599.99 / UK£499.99 / €599.99 respectively, in addition to Switchbot’s own online store.

The post SwitchBot Release Updated K10+ Pro Mini RoboVac appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

As standard with any of Govee’s Matter devices, this uses 2.4GHz WiFi, but as it’s a Matter device, it’ll work with Apple Home. It’s also offers the standard 16 million colours, although as you may be able to tell from the image above, you can actually have multiple colours displayed at once, which also includes warm and cool whites.

What also sets the lamp apart from many others is the fact that you can actually draw designs in the Govee app, which are then mirrored on the device itself. The app also has a ton of multicoloured animated presets.

The lamp has manual controls on top, which allows you to both control the power and brightness, but also switch between standard and animated preset effect. Whilst the lighting in mostly confined to the main body, the lower stand section also features colour, helped in part by the sculpted reflective design. The lamp tops out at 500lm (presumably when set to cool white), which may seem low, but is pretty standard for a table lamp of this size and type.

Currently the lamp is only available in Amazon stores in Germany and the UK, but hopefully it’ll also be coming to the US soon.

The post Govee Adds Matter Multicolour Lamp to Range appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

The new Google TV Streamer, as it’s known, offers to tons of TV series, films etc just like all the other providers, and includes YouTube TV, Apple TV+, Disney and so on. It also claims that 800+ free channels will also be available, although that will almost certainly depend on your region, of course. Where this device initially differentiates itself is with the use of Google AI along with preferences you would initially set up, to provide content suggestions and upcoming shows/films that fit your tastes. All of these will be curated into a watchlist for you to easily access. In addition, Google’s Gemini technology can also provide additional info on what you are watching or about to watch, with summaries, season-by-season breakdowns, details on the actors involved in a particular program of film, and more.

The Google TV Streamer offers an improved processor, double the memory and 32GB of storage for faster app load times, and smoother navigation than previous generation Chromecast devices. With 4K HDR, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos, the image and sound quality are also taking a step up. You can connect your Google TV Streamer to a Wi-Fi network (2.4 or 5.0GHz), or use an ethernet port for faster streaming, with snappier navigation and app loading or switching. The Streamer is designed to sit in front of your TV, rather than tucked behind it, to improve connectivity across your smart home devices.

This is where Matter and Thread come into play along with your smart home. Much like Apple’s own Apple TV, the Google version is more involved with smart home devices, like cameras, locks, sensors, Thermostats, and lights, for example, which can all be accessed from your TV screen via the Google Home Panel, which is a big leap forward from the existing chrome cast offerings.

It takes on the role of a Matter controller, which is something already available with a few Google Nest devices, meaning your Matter enabled devices can be added to Google Home (maybe not so enticing perhaps…) even if they use Matter over Thread, as the Streamer also contains a fully-fledged Thread Border Router.

The included remote has also seen an upgrade in both size and functionality, with more buttons, improved voice remote, an even a programmable button, allowing you to trigger a specific scene, automation, or device. The remote also comes with a ‘lost mode’ option, that allows the remote to beep to aid in finding it, either via any device with Google voice assistant built-in, or via a button on the back of the streamer itself.

The Google TV Streamer will be offered in two different colours – Porcelain, and Hazel, and is  available for preorder now in the USA, with a launch date of September 24th via the Google Store, or third-party retailers.

The post Google Announce TV Streamer W/ Matter and Thread Support appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

The reason for the 3-in-1 description is in reference to the three distinct sensors contained within the MS600; a presence sensor, much like Aqara’s original Presence Sensor FP1, a light sensor, as you’d also find in the Aqara Presence Sensor FP2, and a standard PIR motion sensor. It also uses USB-C to power it, so no batteries required.

The first of these uses the now popular use of millimetre wave technology, commonly referred to mmWave which in laypersons terms is much like radar, where it detects objects in its field of view, regardless of whether they’re moving or not, which is very different to a standard PIR sensor. The inclusion of a light sensor pits it against the admittedly more powerful and feature-rich Aqara FP2, which allows its detection area to be split into up to 30 separate zones, each of which is exposed to Apple Home as separate presence sensors. With the light sensor, you can set up additional conditions for when, for example, automations involving the motion or presence sensor are triggered;

• If presence is detected in the living room…
• but only when brightness in the room is below 50lm
• Turn on the living room lights

Additionally, the MS600 has the ability to detect whether the presence of a person is approaching or moving away, which again is something both Aqara devices have the ability to do, albeit only within the Aqara ecosystem. Meross also claim that due to the complex algorithms within the devices hardware, it has ‘pet-proof triggering’ which we take to mean whilst the MS600 will detect a human presence, it will disregard the presence of pets. This is in fact achieved with the assistance an included ‘Pet-proof Shield’ that effectively blocks the sensor’s detection range below a certain height. Whether this will also affect small children is a possibility too of course.

One differentiating factor between the MS600 and the aforementioned Aqara FP2 is that whilst both use WiFi, only the former is a Matter over WiFi device. So whilst both can connect to the standard ecosystems that support Matter (Apple, Alexa, Google etc) only the MS600 can be added to Matter platforms directly, which mean local connectivity, although Apple Home has always been local of course, so this is of most benefit to Google and Alexa users.

Preorders are available now, with an estimated shipping date of August 20th 2024.

The post Meross 3-in-1 Matter Presence Sensor Available for Preorder appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

PACKAGING | CONTENTS

The front of the box features both the lock and keypad, and depending on the option you purchased, you’ll see either the silver or space grey model. I’m told there’s a white model, but have yet to see anyone with it. When it comes to the front, they really pushed the boat out when it comes to letting you know just how compatible this lock is;

• support for Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, and Google Home
• Offers Matter and Thread support (Matter over Thread, essentially)
• It doesn’t mention Apple HomeKey on the front, but then only Apple Home users get to use this, so…

The back of the box has the standard blurb, but it also outlines the type of locks the U200 works with. Bear in mind this is a retrofit lock, so for both deadbolts and eurocylinder locks, you get to keep your original lock. If you have locks other than these two basic types, the U200 is not guaranteed to work with it, but to be sure you can visit the company’s website to do a compatibility check to be certain. I’ve fitted the U200 to a deadbolt lock on one of our internal locks, so I guess this is probably the easiest of all the installations (that makes a change…).

The box lists some of the features;

• Matter over Thread support, which will no doubt please the more keen early adopters
• NFC support by using either Aqara’s own NFC fobs, or certain types of NFC cards
• Apple HomeKey support
• Quiet unlock mode
• The option to power the keypad with batteries or ‘wire-powerd’ [sic]
• Other unlock methods, including your own key of course
• And the fact that it works with your existing lock

The other side features the specs, which I’ll also list;

• Model: EL-D02E
• Wireless Protocols: Thread, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC
• Door Lock Dimensions: 62.3 x 60.6 x 152.5 mm (2.4 x 2.4 x 6 in.)
• Keypad Dimensions: 42.7 x 33 x 146 mm (1.7 x 1.3 x 5.7 in.)
• Powering Modes:
  • Door Lock: Aqara Rechargeable Li-ion Battery 7.4V
  • Keypad: 4 x LR3 AAA 1.5V Batteries
  • 12V-24V AC 0.5A 50/60Hz or 12V-24V DC 0.5A wired input
• Operating Temperature: -15 °C ~ 66 °C (5 °F ~ 150.8 °F)
• Operating Humidity: 0 ~ 93% RH, no condensation
• IP Rating (Keypad): IPX5

As you can see, you still get Bluetooth as an option, which means you can create a direct connection between your phone and the lock (actually the keypad), which is still something we’re unable to do via Thread, even with Thread built into the later iPhones.

So, there’s a ton of contents in the U200 box, to say the least.

• Smart Lock U200 × 1 (incl. keypad)
• User Manual × 1
• Aqara Rechargeable Battery × 1
• Cylinder Adaptor Kit × 1
• Hexagon Screwdriver × 1
• USB-C Cable × 1
• AAA Battery × 4
• 3M Sticker × 1
• EVA Pad Kit × 1
• Screw Kit × 1
• Power Bank Pouch × 1

If like me you’re adding this to a US style deadbolt lock, you won’t be needing the 3M sticky pads.

THE LOCK | KEYPAD

Unlike many locks with keypads, the U200 comes with its own keypad as standard, and isn’t an optional extra. The two are pre-paired at the factory, so if for any reason one of the two parts gets damaged, you can’t just replace it, so the lock and keypad would have to be replaced in total. That would normally make you understandably think twice about the purchase, given that an optional keypad would be preferable, but as it stands, none of the keypads you can buy as an optional extra come with Apple HomeKey included. Some have a fingerprint reader, which is probably just as good in most cases, but once again Aqara tops most other options with an included NFC reader too. The SwitchBot Lock Pro also offers both a fingerprint reader and NFC, but no Apple HomeKey support, but it does require their own hub due to it using Bluetooth, whereas with the U200, it’ll connect to an existing Thread network via Matter, so no hub required unless you plan on using it in the Aqara ecosystem, in which case the Aqara Hub M3 will be the device to provide Matter and Thread support. You don’t actually need the Aqara M3 to use the U200, as it’ll connect to the Aqara app via you phone using Bluetooth. If you want to make use of automations within the Aqara app, you will need the M3.

I can only speak from the perspective of fitting it to a deadbolt door, but it was very easy to install. I have had experience in fitting other retrofit locks though – having installed the Nuki Lock 2.0, August Pro, and the previously mentioned SwitchBot Lock Pro, so maybe I’ve had a bit more practice, but it is actually pretty straightforward. Deciding where to place the keypad is probably more tricky, but only because you need to ensure that the location you place it is going to be easily accessible for NFC, hands (with the keypad), but especially iPhone and Apple Watch. Having it in a location that makes you contort your wrist to use HomeKey on your watch or your phone is not going to be much fun.

Focussing briefly on the lock portion, removing the cover plate reveals a few things; first of all this is home to a rechargeable battery, so you don’t have the option to use standard disposable or rechargeable batteries. That’s ok, as long as the cost of a replacement battery is reasonable, and possibly more importantly, is readily available. So far, I’ve not seen any mention of replacements, but I’m sure that’ll come in due course. The battery clicks into place quite easily, and comes with a little tab to pull it out, so no complaints there. As it’s rechargeable, there’s a USB-C port at the top (or bottom, depending on how you’ve installed it), so in essence, you don’t even need to remove the battery to recharge it, as long as you’re a bit creative. There’s also an LED indicator that briefly flashes when the lock is activated in any way.

As this is a full-on Matter device, you don’t get a QR code for HomeKit, only a Matter QR code. This is going to be something we’re already seeing more of, but to HomeKit users it generally makes little difference – you scan the Matter code to add the device to Apple Home in the same way you’ve always done. There’s also a QR code for the Aqara ecosystem, which you may or may not need to scan, as once powered up, the lock should be sending out a Bluetooth signal allowing it to be discovered. If not, you can use the QR code. Below (or above) these codes are two buttons – Reset and Set – both of which are pretty self explanatory, although maybe less so for the set button. With the lock set up, you tend to need the Set button to add it to other ecosystems.

IN AQARA HOME

The main screen isn’t dissimilar to the screens for Aqara’s other locks, with user management, passcode and log options. Even though the lock uses Thread, Bluetooth is still available, which – as I’ve previously stated – means you don’t actually need the M3, or any other Aqara hub, to use the U200. As you can see from the second screenshot, I’m not connected to the M3, and I’m still able to access functions and settings for the lock, as long as I’m within Bluetooth range. For some reason, however, even if you’re connected to the lock via the M3, accessing most functions for the lock does require you to activate the keypad first, which would be achieved by pressing any button on the keypad. This means accessing most features can’t be done remotely.

When it comes to users, just as with the other Aqara locks, it’s broken down into three basic categories (not including users of one-time passcodes);

• Admin – this gives the user access to all lock settings, as well as locking or unlocking using all the available methods
• General – much like the Admin option, this allows the user to use all the available lock/unlock methods.
• Temporary user – This allows the user to access the lock only using a passcode. Additionally, you can limit access between specific dates, or certain days of the week and between certain times.

The one-time passcode option can generate a one-off passcode that can only be used one, and will expire after a set date. This also doesn’t require you to activate the lock, unlike the other options.

Both Admin and general users can access the lock using a registered fingerprint, passcode, with an NFC card, or with Apple HomeKey (Via Apple Home), if they have a suitable iPhone. There are no restrictions to the user in terms of dates, days, or times. Periodic/temporary users can be restricted by date – so you can allow access between specific dates, but you can also customise this access to only work on specific days of the week, and even between certain times of the day. If you’re worried you’re going to come up with an easily guessed passcode, the Aqara app can generate one randomly for you.

As with all Aqara locks I’ve reviewed so far – A100 Zigbee, U100, U500, the U200 has so many options I’m just not going to go into detail on each one. A possibly useful one for people who rent out their properties on a regular basis, the Door Lock Log is quite useful for keeping track of all comings and goings, as well as alerting you to other issues.

As for the long list of features, there are options for controlling the audio that comes from the lock, there’s auto lock, although in my testing I couldn’t get it to work consistently. There’s an option to lock the keypad if repeated failed passcodes have been attempted to be used. Night latch mode allows you to only allow for certain types of access to be used between specified times, and Auto-Turn is a good option for people with potential disabilities or issues with the strength in their hands. This allows the thumb turn on the lock to be turned just a little way, with the U200 completing the rest of the locking/unlocking action for you. If you turn the lock a little way, slowly, the deadbolt will lock/unlock slowly in kind. Turn it a little way more briskly, and it’ll respond with a fast lock/unlock. It may seem a bit strange to offer this, but it does work. I just wonder if a small button might have been better though.

The lock also has Quiet mode, which allows the U200 to lock much quieter and slower. In fact there are three speeds available, quiet, normal, and fast, with the latter being the default. To achieve this mode, you simply need to press the Confirm button (the one with a ‘tick’ icon) followed by the lock or unlock method you choose, and it’ll duly open in the slowest mode. You can also set the lock to perform and any of the three speeds on a schedule, which is great if you have a family member that regularly arrives home late, which means they’re less likely to wake other members of the family.

The lock also offers the following modes – Do Not Disturb and Passage, with the latter ensuring that the U200 stays unlocked for those times when you need the lock to be accessible for when people are constantly going in or out of the house.

IN APPLE HOME

You’ll not be surprised to see the U200 offers much the same level of detail as most locks. You get the one tile, and a toggle control beyond that. For the settings panel, you get to see the battery levels, but only for the lock itself, not the keypad. This is because it’s the lock that connects to your Apple Home via Thread, with the keypad connecting to the lock using Bluetooth.

If you prefer not to use the Aqara app for user management, you can still use both Apple HomeKey and passcodes, with the latter option using the ‘Manage Access’ feature, which allows you to create or generate passcodes directly within Apple Home. Manage Access doesn’t give you the range of customisation options you find in the Aqara app, so you can’t restrict the user to a start and end date, certain days or times. You can only give them access, turn access off, or remove it totally. What you do get is the option to allow the same passcode to be used with other locks in Apple Home, as long as those locks also support the Manage Access feature. If you look in the second screenshot, you can see both the U200 and U50 are present as options, but my now ageing August Lock is not present, as is the case with Aqara A100 Zigbee, neither of which has this option. You can then share the passcode in a variety of ways – AirDrop, Email, Messages, Notes, and much more.

IN DAY-TO-DAY USE

This is a tricky one to conclusively talk about, as I only have one front door, which is already being taken care of by the Aqara A100 Zigbee (review HERE, video HERE), so I’ve had to confine my testing to a bedroom door – hey we live in an apartment! This also means I’ve been unable to test the keypad with the outdoor elements. That said, in all the testing, which so far covered maybe just a tad under two months, I’ve been impressed by a few things. First of all, the response time between a fingerprint being pressed onto the sensor and the lock opening, is exceptionally  fast. This had been my experience with the A100 and U100 locks, but the keypad is hardwired into these locks, so you should expect nothing less. With the keypad not physically connected to the lock, only utilising Bluetooth, you’d rightly expect there to be a delay, at least initially. This simply isn’t the case, with response times being astonishingly fast.

All of the lock options – fingerprint, NFC, and Apple HomeKey – are as fast to respond, with only the keypad being slower due to having to tap in a passcode. I think aside from being able to offer HomeKey via wireless keypad, which I honestly had my doubts would actually come to pass, the reaction times really do put many other locks to shame when you compare like with like.

One downside is the fact you currently need to be with the keypad and have it activated in order to access nearly all the settings. Hopefully Aqara can address this. The other more minor downside is regarding issues I had with connecting it to the M3. When I first set it up, everything worked well in both Aqara and Apple Home. As I’m meant to be actually testing the device, I did remove and reinstall the U200 a few times, and this is where I encountered issues. The second installation went through, but on this occasion Apple HomeKey was added, but wouldn’t actually work. A third installation fixed this, but then I couldn’t bind it to the M3, which is the state we’re at currently. I did have separate issues with the M3, which I detailed in my review, so as it stands, the U200 is mostly used in Apple Home, with Aqara Home only used to change settings.

Build quality is of the usual Aqara standard, which can vary depending on some devices. For example, the Aqara A100 I have here is built like a tank, due to the two parts being mostly made of heavy, durable metal and glass. The U200 isn’t as ‘tank-like’ as this due to the keypad and lock bodies being made of plastic. They still feel well made and put together though, and don’t creak at the seams, or offer gaps where there shouldn’t be any.

I think the one thing that makes this lock stand out from other retrofit locks is that it can work with both European and North American style locks. The SwitchBot Lock Pro can too, but you have to have a separate model for this, whereas the U200 does everything with the one model. The Nuki only works with European locks, and the likes of August, as one example, are only meant for deadbolts, so the U200 is truly on its own in this respect.

If I were to offer a suggestion, it would be that if you want to replace a dumb deadbolt lock, you may want to consider the U100 or U100, as they have it all in one package. If, on the other hand, you’re renting, and aren’t allowed to simply replace the whole lock, then the U200 is best for the least intrusive option of the two. It goes without saying that for European users, this is probably the best option right now, and I say that having used locks by Nuki and SwitchBot.

The post Aqara Smart Lock U200 (review) appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

AutoWash Dock

The AutoWash Dock uses antimicrobial materials, automatically empties dirt into an enclosed bag, refills the mopping solution tank, and washes and dries the mop pad. It also cleans itself after each pad wash to prevent dirt build-up. The dock can handle dirt and debris emptying for up to 60 days and holds a 7-day water supply.

The Roomba Combo 10 Max can tackle dirt, pet fur, and debris, with a 4-Stage Cleaning System featuring an Edge-Sweeping Brush, Dual Rubber Brushes, stronger Power-Lifting Suction, and deep-clean mopping. It increases suction on carpets with Carpet Boost and scrubs floors deeply with SmartScrub. Its D.R.I (Dry Rug Intelligence) system keeps carpets dry by lifting the mop pad when detecting carpets.

Enhanced Dirt Detect Technology, using a camera, allows the robot to recognise the dirtiest areas and make multiple passes. PrecisionVision Navigation and machine learning enable it to create a complete home map, label each room, and predict the cleanliness of rooms. It can be paired with Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant for voice control.

The Roomba Combo 10 Max navigates around furniture and obstacles like stairs and cords, and comes with iRobot’s Pet Owner Official Promise (P.O.O.P.)—it avoids pet accidents, or iRobot will replace it!

It’s important to note that the Roomba Combo 10 Max will be Matter-enabled in Q4 2024 and compatible with Apple Home, so as we always advise, don’t buy on a promise of future updates.

Speaking of Matter enabled robot vacs, one company that has gone under the radar a bit is Matic, who announced their very different take on this device type at CES. You can read a full review of Matic’s robot vacuum by Dan Dorato-Hankins here – https://blog.pingie.com/2024/07/22/first-look-and-thoughts-on-the-matic-floor-cleaner/

Pricing & Availability:
– North America: Available for pre-sale in the U.S. and Canada on iRobot.com, with shipments beginning in August. Pricing starts at US$1399.
– Rest of World: Available for pre-sale in Europe, with wider international availability in the coming months.

The post New Roomba Combo 10 Max Announced With Matter appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.