Homey Pro mini – new smart home hub with Matter | Products

Homey Pro, the smart home control hub from Athom in the Netherlands, is getting a little brother. The “Homey Pro mini” (link) will initially be launched in the USA and Canada in April 2025. European countries are planned for later in the year. With a price of 199 US dollars, the mini costs only half as much as the Pro model, which is still available. Nevertheless, essential functions such as Zigbee radio and Thread as well as the Matter Controller are retained. The ARMv8 processor with four cores and 1.5 GHz clock frequency should also be comparable.

Features WLAN, Zigbee, Thread and a LAN connection on the back: Homey Pro mini. Image: Athom

Expandable with a Homey Bridge

The manufacturer wants to save on the integrated RAM memory (1 GB instead of 2 GB) and the wireless connections: Z-Wave, Bluetooth, infrared or 433 MHz radio are missing from the Mini’s specifaction list. However, they can be retrofitted using the “Homey Bridge” – an additional device in the design of the Homey Pro, which costs 69 US dollars or euros.

Matter terms in a nutshell

Matter Administrator

Every Matter installation has privileges and security certificates that need to be managed. This task is performed by a device or software with the Administrator role. It can be integrated into hardware products such as a hub, but apps can also be used as administrators.

Matter Bridge

A bridge translates protocols that Matter does not natively support (such as Zigbee or Z-Wave) into the language of the standard. This means that incompatible devices can still be connected to a Matter fabric and integrated into the control system. Tip: Matter Bridges can be found via our overview of Matter-compatible devices. Simply click on the “Bridge” checkbox there. Only products with this function will be displayed.

Matter Commissioner

Commissioners are devices or software programs (apps) that set up Matter devices. In doing so, they provide them with login information for the network and assign them to a Matter Fabric. The commissioner role can also be integrated into tools with other tasks, such as Matter Controllers.

Matter Controller

Controllers are used to operate installed devices. Their task is not tied to a specific type of device. They can be integrated into stationary smart home hubs, telephones and even networked switches. Apps are also possible. Tip: Matter Bridges can be found via our overview of Matter-compatible devices. Simply click on the “Controller” checkbox there. Only products with this function will be displayed.

Matter Device

Hardware products that support the Matter standard are considered (end)devices. They can be set up by a commissioner and can then be controlled by Matter controllers in the fabric. Typical representatives of this category are lamps, switches, sensors, thermostats, door locks and also bridges.

Matter Fabric

During installation, devices join a Matter Fabric. This virtual network is private and can extend across various physical networks in the building – Wi-Fi, Etrhernet and Thread. It forms the basis for secure communication between devices, controllers and administrators.

With the new model, Athom is reaffirming its promise to further expand and develop the Homey platform – even after LG Electronics acquired a large part of the company last year (link) and is now planning its own Matter-enabled smart home control hub (see “Matter at IFA 2024”). The Dutch company recently presented its energy dongle for measuring consumption on European electricity meters. A new dashboard in the Homey app improves display and control in the smart home.

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