First out of the blocks for IFA 2026 announcements is Homey which has announced Portal, a new physical smart home controller designed to give users quick access to connected devices without relying on a phone or tablet.
The €249 controller features a 2.8-inch round touchscreen surrounded by a stainless-steel rotary dial. It can sit on a desk or be mounted to a wall, with each Portal assigned to a specific room or zone within Homey.
Users can tap the screen to control lights, trigger Homey Flows, manage music and adjust thermostats, while the outer dial can be used for things such as brightness, volume and temperature. Portal can also display energy usage, notifications and live feeds from compatible cameras and doorbells.
Apple Home
For Apple Home users, there is an important limitation: Homey Portal does not directly integrate with Apple Home and cannot be added as an Apple Home controller natively.
However, if you already use Homey alongside Apple Home, Portal could still be useful. Devices connected through Homey, including products that may also be available in Apple Home through Matter or other integrations, can be controlled from the Portal interface.
I like the idea of having a simple physical smart home controller that anyone in the house can walk up to and use, particularly instead of relying on apps for everything. But I still feel voice is one of the easiest ways and we still need to see what Apple has cooking with its own rumored display.
The biggest question is the price. Portal costs €249 during pre-order and will rise to €299 afterwards, which feels expensive for a dedicated controller, especially if you wanted several around the home.
I’ll be getting hands-on with Homey Portal at IFA 2026 in Berlin this week to see whether the touchscreen and rotary dial make enough of a difference in everyday use to justify that price.
