Homey just made the smart home controller I hoped Apple would build
Homey has launched a new physical smart home controller featuring a touchscreen and dial to simplify device management. The device aims to solve interoperability issues by supporting over 70,000 devices across major protocols like Matter and Zigbee.
Why it matters
It represents a shift toward dedicated physical hardware for smart home management, potentially reducing the reliance on fragmented smartphone apps.
Smart homes have gotten really good at making things really complicated. Turning on a light can involve multiple steps, compared to just flipping a switch. Homey, the Dutch-based smart home platform owned by LG, thinks it has a solution.
This week it launched the Homey Portal, a touchscreen smart home controller that looks very promising, if very expensive. Preorders open today at an introductory price of $249/€249, with units shipping in December.
A 2.8-inch round touchscreen device with a stainless steel dial, the Homey Portal can sit on a desk or mount to the wall and is powered by a USB-C cable. You tap the icons to control devices like lights, speakers, thermostats, and shades, and you can twist the dial to adjust brightness, volume, and temperature.
[Video: Homey Portal smart home controller]
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