SwitchBot’s Hub 2 is the first Matter device that really matters

Enlarge / SwitchBot's new Hub 2 is most helpful for those who already have SwitchBot products in their home, but also those with infrared devices they'd like to automate. (credit: SwitchBot)

The Matter smart home connectivity standard has huge promise and lots of device makers lined up to engage with a theoretically more open, less server-dependent future. And yet, so far, I haven't been compelled to write about any individual products launching with Matter support. Most of them are simply familiar products—light bulbs, turning door locks, wall switches—that now can be set up in a different, cross-platform way (however painfully). Most wouldn't compel anyone who already has a functioning version of them to upgrade or expand their setup.

Here's the first thing to make me take notice, and it is, of all things, a hub. The SwitchBot Hub 2 ($70, also on Amazon) makes the most sense if you already have some SwitchBot products in your home and might want to take them beyond their default Bluetooth range with Wi-Fi connectivity. But I think it might also appeal to someone looking for an entryway to a small, controlled, and useful smart home.

For one thing, the Hub 2 isn't just a puck of plastic that does nothing but coordinate traffic for a subset of devices. I have two of those taking up space in my home, from Phillips Hue and Samsung SmartThings. They hang out within Ethernet distance of my router, eating trickle power and generating a little heat pocket on that shelf. They are quiet, mostly useless roommates who will be evicted by some future upgrade.

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