Apple Event on September 9, Thread for LIFX Bulbs, and Hue OmniGlow Outdoor
This week in smart home: Apple announces its fall event for September 9, LIFX moves existing Matter bulbs from Wi-Fi to Thread in a beta, and an outdoor lightstrip plus a Nanoleaf module leak ahead of the Hue event on September 3
September is filling up. Apple has set its fall event for September 9, though whether any Home devices show up there is still open. LIFX has opened a beta that moves existing Matter bulbs from Wi-Fi to Thread with no new hardware. On top of that: two Hue leaks just before its own event on September 3, a SwitchBot teaser for IFA in Berlin, and a video on the most common mistakes in Apple Home.
Apple Sets Its Fall Event for September 9
Apple has announced its fall event for September 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific, under the tagline "Surprise and shine". iPhones and Apple Watches will take center stage. The Home side is less certain: a new Apple TV 4K, a refreshed HomePod mini, and the long-awaited home hub with a display are all expected this fall, and Bloomberg reports that Apple is already rebuilding parts of its retail floor space for them. Most observers do not expect them on September 9 though, and lean toward October.
LIFX Opens a Thread Beta for Existing Bulbs
LIFX has started a beta that moves existing bulbs from Matter over Wi-Fi to Matter over Thread, with no new hardware needed. A "Switch to Thread" option appears in the app, and it covers every model that shipped with Matter support. After the switch you have to add the light again, so keep the Matter code handy. You also need a Thread Border Router such as a HomePod or an Apple TV 4K. The wider rollout is planned for later in 2026.
Worth Watching: The Most Common Mistakes in Apple Home
Apple Home Authority runs through eight mistakes that leave an Apple Home slow and unreliable, from an Apple TV without Ethernet to the choice of home hub and the way rooms and devices are named.
In Brief
Hue Goes Outdoors and Opens Up to Nanoleaf
Two leaks have surfaced ahead of the Hue event on September 3. The OmniGlow Lightstrip, whose light shows no visible LED dots, is set to get a weatherproof outdoor version that can be cut to length. Alongside it comes a wall light module at 39.99 euros, around 47 dollars, that pulls up to 100 Nanoleaf Shapes panels into the Hue app over Zigbee, scenes and automations included. A Hue Bridge is required, and it carries the panels through to Apple Home as well.
SwitchBot Teases Two Devices for IFA
SwitchBot has announced two new devices for IFA: an AI assistant and a smart lock. The company names both categories in its teaser itself, but all you can see of them so far are the outlines on a teaser image. No specifications yet. IFA runs in Berlin from September 4 to 8.
Tip of the Week: First Aid When HomeKit Acts Up
If your devices still act up despite every tip, working through the problem beats restarting things at random. When an accessory reports "No Response", refuses to be added, or remote access stops working, our first aid course covers the most common HomeKit problems in six lessons, from the scene limit to swapping your router.
