Shelly has announced a major Matter update for its Wall Display range at IFA 2026, opening the panels up to third-party Matter devices while also bringing their own controls into platforms including Apple Home.
I got the chance to visit Shelly’s booth at IFA in Berlin and see the new functionality in action. From an Apple Home perspective, this is an interesting update because the Wall Display can work in both directions: acting as a Matter controller for compatible devices while also becoming a Matter device itself.
Shelly Wall Display becomes a Matter controller
A free firmware update will turn compatible Shelly Wall Displays into Matter controllers, allowing supported Matter products from other manufacturers to be added directly to the display. This includes Matter lights, blinds and shades, thermostats, fans, smart plugs and sensors. Once added, they appear as tiles alongside existing Shelly products on the Wall Display home screen, giving you a single physical interface for controlling devices from different brands.
Importantly, Shelly says supported Matter devices can be added directly to the Wall Display without requiring a separate Matter hub or bridge. Third-party Matter devices can also be incorporated into Shelly’s local scenes, automations and scripting, with control and automation running locally on the panel.
Seeing it demonstrated at IFA made the direction Shelly is taking with the Wall Display much clearer. Rather than simply being a touchscreen for Shelly products, it is becoming a much broader local smart home controller.
Apple Home support
For Apple Home users, perhaps the most interesting part is that the Wall Display can simultaneously operate as a Matter device. This allows compatible functions from the Wall Display to be exposed to Apple Home through Matter. Depending on the Wall Display and its configuration, this can include relay, dimming and thermostat functionality.
So while the Wall Display can act as its own interface for controlling Matter devices, supported Shelly functionality can still be available through the Apple Home app and Siri. This is exactly the type of interoperability Matter was designed to deliver. You aren’t forced to choose between using Shelly’s own interface and Apple Home — the two can work alongside each other.
An interesting option for Apple Home users
From an Apple Home perspective, the update makes the Shelly Wall Display a much more interesting product. Apple still doesn’t offer a dedicated wall-mounted smart home controller (yet), leaving users to rely on devices such as an iPad or third-party solutions if they want a permanent touchscreen around the home.
Shelly isn’t trying to recreate the Apple Home app on the wall. Instead, the Wall Display provides a dedicated local interface for compatible Matter and Shelly devices while allowing supported functionality to remain accessible inside Apple Home. That could make it particularly useful in places such as kitchens, hallways or living spaces where you want quick access to smart home controls without having to reach for an iPhone.
When is the Matter update arriving?
The new Matter functionality will arrive as part of Shelly firmware 2.8.0 and will be available as a free over-the-air update.
Shelly says full Matter controller and Matter device functionality will be available on the Wall Display X1i, X2i, XL, U1, S1, S2 and XT.
For Apple Home users, it makes the Wall Display considerably more compelling. Rather than replacing Apple Home, Shelly is positioning the display as an additional physical control point within a Matter smart home — while still allowing compatible Shelly functionality to live inside Apple’s ecosystem.
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