SwitchBot’s plethora of devices has made for some really simple and effective smart home tech, although much of it has been slightly problematic when connecting to Google Home or other ecosystems. With the newest Matter device – the Hub 2 from SwitchBot – the company’s Bluetooth devices are now able to slide into any ecosystem with ease, thanks to Matter.
Sitting at the center of breaking barriers between smart home ecosystems is Matter, a new standard that allows devices to connect to and communicate with different ecosystems with deceptive ease. While the standard isn’t perfect and Matter-enabled devices still have their downsides, the adoption rate and utility it provides are hard to ignore.
SwitchBot is ready to incorporate Matter into its lineup. The new Hub 2 is a device that provides some on-screen information while also working as a Matter hub.
In essence, a Matter hub is the device that connects products to Matter’s highway of information. With that, Bluetooth devices that weren’t made available on Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, or Apple HomeKit would be able to merge into those ecosystems, all through the hub.
Related: What is Matter, and why are so many smart home companies supporting it?
At its core, the Hub 2 is an unassuming little device that operates on the surface as a temperature, light, and humidity sensor for your home. It has a basic display that shows the current temperature and humidity, as well as its connection status. The app, however, gives detailed graphs outlining exactly what the conditions were at any given time in your home.
On the display, there are two small buttons that are programmable for different devices. My Hub 2 is set to turn on my office lights, though you can set it to adjust just about any SwitchBot device.
Under the surface, the Hub 2 can take on a few other helpful tasks. For instance, the Hub 2 also acts as an IR remote, meaning you can program any IR remote you have and let the Hub 2 act as the remote. This comes in handy for those who have an AC unit that’s controlled via remote. Connecting the Hub 2 with that unit via the IR blaster will let you control its functions through your phone. While I wasn’t able to test this feature, SwitchBot makes a big point of this specific pairing, though you can pair other devices as well.
What really Matters
Beyond the basic functions embedded in the SwitchBot Hub 2, the real kicker is the functionality it provides as a Matter hub. As mentioned, Matter hubs let you connect Bluetooth devices to smart home platforms like Google Home.
The setup is pretty easy. All that was needed was to ensure my Hub 2’s firmware was up to date in the SwitchBot app. From there, the settings hold a new Matter Configuration page, which gives you a QR and connection code. On that page, tapping Matter Configuration will send you to Google Home, where you can scan the QR code on the Hub 2 or enter the numerical code. From there, your Hub 2 is connected.
While the Hub 2 is limited to bringing only SwitchBot devices to Matter’s base, it does provide a huge service if you have several devices. On my end, I use the Lock with Keypad Touch, curtains, blind tilt, and more. While the Lock is able to communicate with Google Home, the curtain bots are not. By connecting the Hub 2 as a Matter hub to Google Home, the SwitchBot Curtain bots are brought into Home, complete with sliders for easy control.
Devices that are brought into Google Home via Matter work just as well as any other device. Sliding the Curtain bots in and out was responsive and simple. It just works.
In Matter’s current beta form, the Hub 2 can only bring up to 4 SwitchBot Bluetooth devices into an ecosystem. Down the road, we can likely expect that number to increase some. SwitchBot has also stated that more devices will gain Matter support through the Hub 2 or on their own, such as the smart plug, which gained Matter functionality without the use of a hub.
Next: The SwitchBot Blind Tilt feels like a must-have
Final thoughts
In reality, Hub 2 may only appeal to a few individuals. For those that have multiple SwitchBot devices in their home and wish more were controllable through Google Home or SmartThings, the Hub 2 is a great addition to fix that. Most of SwitchBot’s device lineup is Bluetooth-reliant and is able to connect to the internet via a hub, whether that’s the Hub Mini or Hub 2. With the Hub 2, you’re getting a greater connection range as well as the temperature and humidity status of your home at a glance.
The cost of doing so, however, is a little steep. The Hub 2 will set you back around $69.99. Of course, that does mean that you’re bringing SwitchBot’s Bluetooth devices into your ecosystem, whether you use Google Home, Apple HomeKit, or Samsung SmartThings. Without a hub, these rely solely on the SwitchBot app. On top of that, we’ve always liked SwitchBots’s approach to smart home tech, and adding Matter into the mix is even better.
Buy the SwitchBot Hub 2
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