12 – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
Skip to main content
The homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.
The homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.

Smart Home

The smart home was once a far-flung pipe dream, but it is now a reality. Wherever you live, your home is ground zero for some of the most interesting tech available right now, and tech that’s yet to come. Best of all, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to get your home up and running with smart hardware and services.

Home security and monitoring solutions can alert you to a burglary, smoke, fire, or just simple motion activity. There are plenty of options with a range of capabilities, from smart doorbells and smart locks to indoor and outdoor cameras that can see in the dark.

Smart speakers, like the Google Home, Amazon Echo, and Apple HomePod each play a big role in helping you out, too. In the kitchen, they can read out recipes, or if you’re cleaning, you can call out to them to change the song on the fly. If you buy smart light bulbs, for instance, you can turn them on and off by using your voice.

Dyson’s purple, powerful robovac is on sale for its lowest price everDyson’s purple, powerful robovac is on sale for its lowest price ever
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Homey’s pint-sized smart home hub is now available.

Announced at CES, the $199 Homey Pro Mini can connect to Zigbee, Matter, and Thread devices, along with those from brands like Ikea, Sonos, Lutron, Roomba, Nest, Philips Hue, and Aqara, to run your smart home.

Unlike its bigger sibling, the $400 Homey Pro, it doesn’t support Z-Wave, BLE, or IR, and can handle fewer integrations, but is a good option for a simpler way into more advanced home automation.

Homey launches a $200 smart home hub

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Tapo’s new $70 budget smart lock is packed with featuresTapo’s new $70 budget smart lock is packed with features
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
My cat just outsmarted my smart home.

As I was making breakfast this morning, Smokey jumped onto the counter, walked over to the sink, nuzzled his head against the motion sensor in the Moen smart faucet, and proceeded to drink from the flowing water.

I’m so proud! (Now, if I could train him to do the dishes... .)

The smartest cat in the house.
The smartest cat in the house.
Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
Google’s Home APIs are gaining Gemini intelligenceGoogle’s Home APIs are gaining Gemini intelligence
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Switchbot’s latest lock can unlock with a lookSwitchbot’s latest lock can unlock with a look
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Dyson’s new superskinny stick vac is as thin as its hair dryerDyson’s new superskinny stick vac is as thin as its hair dryer
Jess Weatherbed
Jess Weatherbed
Nanoleaf’s first solar lights aren’t smart, but they sure are pretty.

These quirky $49.99 Nanoleaf solar-powered garden lights are sold in pairs, each featuring eight LED bulb stalks that support eight RGB colors and 11 scene presets. They can also be charged via USB-C, and activate automatically via daylight sensors or timers.

For something a little less alien, Nanoleaf is also launching a 5-meter RGB addressable rope light for $69.99 that works with Matter and other smart home platforms.

<em>The Nanoleaf Solar Garden Lights look like something out of Avatar’s Pandora.</em>
<em>Pretty much every smart lighting company has an RGB strip light already, but Nanoleaf’s 5-meter offering is a welcome addition.</em>
1/2
The Nanoleaf Solar Garden Lights look like something out of Avatar’s Pandora.
Image: Nanoleaf
Wes Davis
Wes Davis
Gemini is getting colorful on Nest speakers.

Some Reddit users are reporting seeing a blue-and-purple gradient, rather than the usual white LEDs, on their Nest Audio speakers, 9to5Google reports. My colleague Jennifer Pattison Tuohy is seeing the same.

It’s the color scheme for Gemini, Google’s AI assistant that it’s slowly replacing Google Assistant with. The company started testing Gemini on its Nest smart speakers in December. You need be enrolled in the Google Home Public Preview and opt into experimental AI features to try it out.

Jay Peters
Jay Peters
Wyze is about to finish moving its factories out of China.

The company has been working to move manufacturing out of the country, as detailed by GeekWire. It recently paid $255,000 in tariffs on $167,000 worth of goods.

7 of our favorite deals from Amazon’s 48-hour Pet Day sale7 of our favorite deals from Amazon’s 48-hour Pet Day sale
Jess Weatherbed
Jess Weatherbed
The latest Ecovacs vacuum sounds like a BLAST.

One upgrade that the new $1,600 X9 Pro Omni robot vacuum mop has over the current $1,300 X8 flagship is Boosted Large-Airflow Suction Technology, which optimizes airflow from intake to exhaust, instead of just relying on suction power.

There’s a deal running from May 13th-19th that’ll save customers $300, alongside a more affordable $1,200 T80 vacuum mop with near-identical specs to the X8.

A lifestyle image showing the X9 Pro Omni robot vacuum mop.
The X9 Pro Omni robot vacuum also comes with an extendable, self cleaning roller mop.
Image: Ecovac
Jay Peters
Jay Peters
“Skylines of Light.”

That’s what you’ll get with Govee’s “Strip Light with Skyline Kit,” which the company says is “more than a lighting accessory.” Just, uh, don’t hit your head on it.

“At Govee, we don’t just make smart lighting. We create experiences,” says Govee’s CEO. Got it.
“At Govee, we don’t just make smart lighting. We create experiences,” says Govee’s CEO. Got it.
Image: Govee
Arlo’s new AI features summarize what your camera seesArlo’s new AI features summarize what your camera sees
Leaked document reveals more about Eufy’s first smart displayLeaked document reveals more about Eufy’s first smart display
Brilliant launches new smart home control panelsBrilliant launches new smart home control panels
Ecobee’s video doorbell now integrates with Google HomeEcobee’s video doorbell now integrates with Google Home
Roborock’s S8 MaxV Ultra, our favorite robovac, is $800 offRoborock’s S8 MaxV Ultra, our favorite robovac, is $800 off
I put four robot lawnmowers through a brutal backyard battle

These autonomous cutters show promise, but there’s still a ways to go before you should trust one in your yard.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
EcoFlow brings its plug-in solar power plant to US homesEcoFlow brings its plug-in solar power plant to US homes
Matter’s latest update brings tap-to-pair setupMatter’s latest update brings tap-to-pair setup
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
iRobot’s vacuum-only Roomba j7 is on sale for nearly 75 percent offiRobot’s vacuum-only Roomba j7 is on sale for nearly 75 percent off
Sonos and Ikea are ending their partnershipSonos and Ikea are ending their partnership
WiZ’s new TV light sync box undercuts Philips Hue’s pricing by halfWiZ’s new TV light sync box undercuts Philips Hue’s pricing by half
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Wyze paid $255,000 in tariffs on $167,000 worth of goods.

The budget smart home company posted its first tariff bill on X this afternoon, adding that it’s been working on moving manufacturing out of China for a year and will “probably be out in 60 days.”

The next post was a GIF of Robin Williams, indicating that the company, known for its affordable security cameras -- including floodlight cameras, is shifting production to Vietnam.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
This smart grill now costs $50 more thanks to tariffs.

The price hike for the Brisk It Zelos-450 Smart Grill, which went on sale yesterday, brings the wood-pellet grill with a side of AI to $450. While cheaper than the competition (Weber and Traeger smart grills start around $800), it’s a bummer to see more affordable smart grilling go up in smoke.

CEO Christopher Huang tells The Verge the increase is “a direct and unavoidable result of newly imposed tariffs.” This is likely just the beginning of price hikes across the smart home.

This $400 Brisk It smart grill has generative AI

Jess Weatherbed
Yale’s new smart lock can disarm your ADT security system with your fingerprintYale’s new smart lock can disarm your ADT security system with your fingerprint
Jay Peters
Jay Peters
Look for the Home panel.

The smart home control panel found on the Google TV Streamer is, as promised, now rolling out to other Google TV devices, 9to5Google reports.

Home Panel widely rolling out to Chromecast with Google TV, and more

[9to5google.com]

Google is killing software support for early Nest ThermostatsGoogle is killing software support for early Nest Thermostats
Ember’s 16-ounce temperature-controlled Tumbler is half offEmber’s 16-ounce temperature-controlled Tumbler is half off
Eufy’s new floor mopping robovac has a portable deep cleanerEufy’s new floor mopping robovac has a portable deep cleaner
Samsung says its ‘Screens Everywhere’ approach won’t mean ads everywhere, for nowSamsung says its ‘Screens Everywhere’ approach won’t mean ads everywhere, for now
iRobot’s latest Roomba robot vacuum is great news for pet ownersiRobot’s latest Roomba robot vacuum is great news for pet owners
iRobot’s Roomba Combo 10 Max is nearly 50 percent off for Verge readersiRobot’s Roomba Combo 10 Max is nearly 50 percent off for Verge readers
Aura’s new Aspen looks even more like a traditional photo frameAura’s new Aspen looks even more like a traditional photo frame
Nanoleaf’s new pegboard dock lights up your accessories and roomNanoleaf’s new pegboard dock lights up your accessories and room
Freitag’s newest messenger bag is made from trash to last

8

Verge Score

Old seatbelts, truck tarps, and plastic bottles transformed into a very good carryall.

Thomas Ricker
Aqara adds support for 50 new Matter device typesAqara adds support for 50 new Matter device types
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Smart home device manufacturers are bracing for chaos — againSmart home device manufacturers are bracing for chaos — again
One of our favorite video doorbells is on sale for $80One of our favorite video doorbells is on sale for $80

Most Popular

Most Popular
  1. Trump fires the entire National Science Board
  2. Alex Jones has uncovered another massive conspiracy
  3. 360-degree cameras have a new superpower
  4. The US gets the worst phones
  5. THE PEOPLE DO NOT YEARN FOR AUTOMATION
    Video