HomePod 2 review, Aqara Matter update, & more

This week on the Homekit Insider Podcast, your hosts dive into our review of the updated HomePod, talk about Aqara's Matter update, and cover more smart home news.

This week Aqara started its phased rollout of its 4.0.0 software update, bringing Matter support to the M2 hubs. Other Aqara hubs will follow in the coming months.

LG also expanded its HomeKit and AirPlay functionality within its webOS software to third-party TV sets. This will improve the availability of Apple's smart home platform to more TVs.

New rumors this week suggest Apple is still hard at work on the revamped HomeKit architecture, with a launch in iOS 16.4 likely. Code snippets were discovered in the latest update that seemed to suggest this proposed launch.

Finally, we walk through our review of the 2023 HomePod, including how it may fair against rumored Sonos speakers.

Links from the show

• LG adds Apple services to hundreds of webOS-equipped smart TVs
• Aqara begins rollout of Matter firmware for M2 hubs
• 77-Inch Class S95C OLED 4K Smart TV (2023) | Samsung US
• Aqara G4 Video Doorbell
• HomeKit architecture upgrade expected to return in iOS 16.4
• Future HomeKit could track you through your house and predict your needs
• Onvis Prepare for March Release of Thread Motion Sensor
• Apple HomePod Review 2023 - Hands-on Smart Speaker Test
• The HomePod challenge: A blind audio test of old vs new | Macworld
• Sonos Era 100 and Era 300 speakers coming soon
• Mop & Vacuum Your Home With the Ultimate Narwal Freo - YouTube
• SwitchBot Blind Tilt

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