WiZ Matter Lighting, SwitchBot Kata, and Aqara LED Strip T2

This week is all about new Matter lighting and unusual devices. Philips Smart Lighting expands the WiZ line with an HDMI Sync Box, new light strips, Gradient Light Bars, and the Squire table lamp. SwitchBot introduces Kata, an AI pet designed to respond to moods and recognize household members. In brief: Aqara opens beta testing for its new RGBIC Lightstrip T2 and the IKEA Bilresa button gets a Matter update. Plus an official video covering the Kata setup and a workflow tip for garden irrigation.

New Matter Lighting from WiZ

Philips Smart Lighting is expanding the WiZ line with a wide range of new lighting products. The expansion includes the HDMI Sync Box 2.1 with support for 8K at 60 Hz, new LED light strips, Gradient Light Bars, and the Squire table lamp with a wall-washing effect. All devices use Matter over Wi-Fi and integrate directly with Apple Home. WiZ is not compatible with Philips Hue and forms its own ecosystem. Prices range from $24 to $165, with a launch planned for June 2026.

SwitchBot Launches AI Pet Kata

With Kata, SwitchBot launches an AI pet designed as an emotional companion for everyday life. It is meant to greet users in the morning, respond to moods, and recognize individual household members. Through twelve touch-sensitive zones, a built-in camera, and an on-device LLM, Kata processes gestures, voice, and emotions, navigates autonomously, and returns to its charging dock. The device is available from $699.99 in the Noa and Niko variants. A Matter or Apple Home integration is not planned.

Worth Watching: SwitchBot Kata Unboxing and Setup

If you want a first impression of Kata, the official SwitchBot video covers unboxing, initial setup, and the first interactions with the AI pet. A good way to see the unusual concept in action.

In Brief

Aqara LED Strip T2 Surfaces

Aqara introduced the new RGBIC Lightstrip T2 at Light + Building. It provides white tones from 2,000 to 9,000 Kelvin, dynamic effects across multiple zones, and a Matter over Thread or Zigbee connection. Adaptive Lighting is supported through Apple Home. Aqara is currently looking for beta testers for the new device.

Matter Update for the IKEA Bilresa Button

IKEA updated the Bilresa button to Matter 1.4 with firmware 1.9.15. The update is mainly aimed at improving the stability of the Thread connection. Double-click remains supported and triple-click is now technically possible, but it is not evaluated in Apple Home. The update rolls out gradually through the IKEA app and Apple Home.

Tip of the Week: Weather-Based Garden Irrigation

Spring also marks the start of the garden season. If you use a Matter or HomeKit irrigation controller, you can drive it based on the weather with the Controller Hub and Workflows. The workflow checks recent rainfall and the forecast and only waters when it is actually needed. Your garden stays reliably supplied without wasting water.