IFA 2026 takes place in Berlin from 4–8 September, bringing together some of the biggest names in consumer technology alongside emerging brands and new innovations. Smart home is once again a major part of the show, with new products, platforms and connected-home technology expected to be announced throughout the week.
IFA is one of the world’s largest consumer technology trade shows and has been held in Berlin for more than a century. Each year, it brings together major global technology companies, startups, retailers and media to showcase what’s coming next across smart home, TVs, appliances, computing, mobile technology and more. For smart home fans in particular, it’s an opportunity to see newly announced products first-hand and discover devices and brands that might otherwise fly under the radar.
I’m at IFA 2026 covering everything Apple Home. Throughout the event, I’ll be looking for new HomeKit, Matter and Thread products, along with anything else that could be interesting for Apple Home users. This article will be updated throughout IFA as announcements happen and as I discover new products on the show floor, so check back regularly for the latest Apple Home news from Berlin.
Homey Portal
Homey has announced the Homey Portal, a new physical smart home controller with a 2.8-inch touchscreen and rotary dial for controlling lights, music, thermostats, Homey Flows and more. While it doesn’t directly support Apple Home, it can control compatible devices connected through Homey, making it an interesting option for those running both ecosystems. With a starting price of €249, it isn’t cheap, but I’ll be taking a closer look at IFA.
Read the full Homey Portal announcement and my thoughts here.
Lock Ultra Max Vision Pro Combo
SwitchBot has unveiled the new Lock Ultra Max Vision Pro Combo at IFA 2026, introducing an upgraded retrofit smart lock designed for European doors with Matter support and a wide range of biometric unlocking options.
The new system works with Apple Home through Matter, although it’s worth pointing out that Apple Home Key is not supported. You can read more here
Aqara at IFA 2026
Aqara has revealed an all-new smart lighting lineup at IFA 2026, alongside fresh updates on several previously announced products, including the FP400 Presence Multi-Sensor, G510 Camera Hub and U250 and U600 smart locks.
The new lighting range includes the Floor Lamp T1, LED Downlight T2, LED Strip T2, Outdoor String Lights H1 and Permanent Outdoor Lights H1. All five support both Thread and Zigbee connectivity and are Matter-enabled, bringing even more lighting options to Apple Home and Aqara’s wider smart home ecosystem.
Read more here
Govee smart lighting at IFA 2026
I got to check out Govee’s latest smart lighting at IFA 2026 in Berlin 💡 The new lineup includes the Matter-enabled Sky Ceiling Light, COB Strip Light 2 Pro and Permanent Outdoor Lights 2 Pro, with AI Lighting Bot 2.0 playing a big part across the range. The new products start rolling out from September 4, with UK availability for selected models coming later this month.
