1Home Digest July '26: Matter, AI & the Next Layer
July was about smart home technology becoming a little less fragmented and a lot more capable. Matter is moving beyond simply getting devices to talk to each other, AI is starting to assist with the engineering work behind KNX projects, and energy management is becoming its own intelligent layer. Thread is also quietly appearing in more places - from Shelly devices to professional networking equipment. Let's get into it...
Matter 1.6 Wants Ecosystems to Work Together
Matter 1.6 is less about adding another long list of device types and more about making the smart home feel coherent. The update introduces features such as NFC-based commissioning, context-aware thermostat controls and, most notably, Joint Fabric - allowing different platforms to co-manage the same Matter network.
In theory, that means a home using Apple, Google, Amazon and Samsung devices should no longer feel like four separate homes stitched together. The bigger shift is strategic: as interoperability improves, platform owners may have to compete less through ecosystem lock-in and more through intelligence, privacy and user experience. A promising direction - provided manufacturers actually implement it properly.
AI Steps Into the ETS Project
AI has arrived in the KNX engineering workflow - not as another chatbot floating beside the project, but as an ETS6 AddIn with access to the project context and tools. ETSpilot, developed by Splendid Minds, can answer questions, analyse projects and carry out concrete steps inside ETS under the supervision of the engineer.
That includes the repetitive work that fills plenty of project days: creating group addresses, connecting communication objects, parameterising devices, checking structures and applying changes. The professional remains in control, with actions requiring confirmation and the option to store project standards and naming conventions. Less clicking, more engineering - a fairly compelling pitch.
Tesla Home Puts AI in Charge of the Energy Budget
Tesla has launched Tesla Home, a home energy management platform built around its Opticaster AI engine. The system forecasts solar production and household demand, then makes decisions about when to store or use electricity in order to reduce energy costs.
It brings together Tesla’s Powerwall, solar panels, Solar Roof, Wall Connector and compatible smart breakers under one energy-management layer. The interesting part is not that the system uses AI - that has been the direction of travel for a while - but that energy management is increasingly becoming an active, automated service rather than a dashboard people check occasionally.
KNX Checks Into the Hotel Business
Smart home ideas scale surprisingly well into hospitality. KNX-based Guest Room Management Systems bring lighting, HVAC, curtains, access control and service requests together under one standardised system, giving guests simple room controls while giving hotel operators more visibility and control.
The real value is in the link between comfort and operations. Occupancy can trigger energy-saving modes, check-in can pre-condition a room, and room status can flow back to housekeeping and building-management systems. A good hotel room should feel effortless to the guest - even when a lot is happening behind the scenes.
See how KNX GRMS works in hotels
Shelly Is Rethinking Matter Over Thread
Shelly is considering whether its fourth-generation devices should support Matter over Thread. The hardware is already capable of it, but the available flash memory creates a trade-off: adding Thread support while keeping all existing features - including scripting - may not be possible in a single firmware version.
The options under discussion include a multi-step setup process or a standard firmware with Thread support that drops built-in scripting, allowing advanced users to switch to a different firmware when needed. It is not a product announcement yet, but it shows how Thread is moving from an enthusiast feature toward a decision that mainstream device makers can no longer ignore.
Read more about Shelly’s plans
UniFi Adds Thread to the Network Closet
Ubiquiti is bringing a Thread Border Router to its UniFi platform through the upcoming SuperLink Gateway HA. The gateway is primarily designed for UniFi’s security ecosystem, but it will also include a built-in Thread Border Router supporting up to 128 connected devices, alongside battery backup and LTE failover.
There is an important caveat: Ubiquiti has not announced native Matter support, so it is not suddenly becoming another Matter controller. Still, putting Thread into networking equipment used by professional installers and advanced users could make the protocol easier to deploy - especially in places where the network infrastructure is already centralised and carefully managed.
Find out what this means for Thread
That's July done.
Thanks for reading along, see you next month!