The IT Nerd

Athom, makers of privacy-first smart home solutions, today announced the public launch and began shipping Homey Bridge, an easy-to-use, affordable smart home hub to the U.S., U.K., Canada, and other countries. Previously available only in beta and Europe, Homey Bridge supports more than 50K smart home devices from more than 1,000 different brands, and works in tandem with the Homey App (iOS, Android and web browser), enabling users to customize and automate their smart home based on their unique habits and preferences. Homey Bridge retails for $69 USD, £69 GBP or $99 CAD,  and can be purchased on the Homey website, or at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. View a short video about Homey Bridge here.

The elegant and functional design of Homey Bridge forms a perfect centerpiece of a user’s smart home and makes it easy for users to connect all of their smart home devices due to its compatibility with six wireless technologies — Zigbee, Z-Wave Plus, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Infrared and 433MHz (UK only). Homey Bridge pairs with the Homey App and enables users to easily connect up to five smart home devices. Upgrading to Homey Premium ($2.99 USD,  £2.99 GBP or $3.99 CAD per month) allows users to connect an unlimited amount of smart home devices, and also provides access to additional advanced automation features and Homey Insights. Additionally, the Homey app can be used to control smart home devices as an app-only solution without the need of Homey hardware, with the same subscription pricing structure.

American, British and Canadian households continue to connect a wide array of smart home devices — from TVs, speakers, electrical plugs, lights, thermostats, sensors, home appliances, EV chargers, and more. The volume of connections and devices presents a challenge, however: up to a quarter of respondents in a 2022 Deloitte survey said they “feel overwhelmed by devices and more than half are worried about the security and privacy of their smartphones and devices in their home.” Built privacy-first, Homey Bridge is unique in that it doesn’t listen in or sell any customer data, or use any of its customers’ personal information to create user profiles or targeted advertisements. The result is a streamlined and safeguarded smart home where people can take advantage of technology instead of worrying about who has their personal information or being bombarded with ads.

Homey Bridge is packed with features — including Homey Flow, Insights and Energy — developed over the past eight years for the Homey Pro smart home hub in the European market. Features include: 

• Homey Flow enables users to create a series of automated rules that tie their devices together,  independent of brand and technology — and help to run their smart homes most efficiently and conveniently, e.g. “Always dim lights in the bedroom when the drapes close” or “Automatically lower the thermostat, turn off the lights and enable the alarm when I lock the front door”. Flows can also be started using voice assistants, such as Google, Alexa and Siri Shortcuts, and via widgets for mobile and Apple Watch.
• Homey Insights allows users to analyze their smart home usage via visual, easy-to-read graphs and charts. For example, users can track trends such as the temperature levels of their homes and thermostat over time, or how much energy their refrigerator uses in summer compared to winter. Homey Insights requires an active Homey Premium subscription —  $2.99 USD,  £2.99 GBP or $3.99 CAD per month.
• Homey Energy allows users to see their home’s energy usage in real-time, so they can make changes to increase their home’s sustainability. For example, users can see how much energy their washing machine uses on ‘hot’ versus ‘warm’ wash cycles, how much energy their solar panels generate right now, and which rooms and devices use the most electricity.

HOMEY BRIDGE SPECIFICATIONS:

• Wireless Communication Technology Compatibility: Homey Bridge contains six wireless technologies: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy 4.0 (BLE), Zigbee, Z-Wave (Plus, S2), Infrared and 433MHz RF (UK only), to connect local devices to the Homey app. Homey Bridge automatically switches its Z-Wave frequency with a unique multi-antenna design, based on Homey Bridge’s geographical or country location. Additionally, transmitting 433 MHz is automatically enabled in eligible regions, such as Europe and Asia.
• What’s in the Box: Homey Bridge, USB power adapter, USB power cable and a Quick Start Guide
• Device Dimensions: 5.04” inches in diameter x 1.4” inches in height
• Weight: 1.2 lbs (including packaging)
• Supported Devices: 50,000+ smart devices from more than 1,000 brands
• Control Options: controlled via the Homey App: iOS (v11 or higher), Android 5.0 or higher or a web-based browser
• Price: $69 USD, £69 GBP or $99 CAD
• Where to Buy: Online at Amazon.com, Amazon.uk, Amazon.ca,, Best Buy and the Homey website
• Manufacturer Warranty: Two years
• Certifications: FCC and CE

HOMEY APP SPECIFICATIONS:

• Homey App Availability: iOS (v11 or higher), Android (5.0 or higher) or a web-based browser
• Device Agnostic: Homey App connects devices across a wide range of brands and technologies. The app is available in two versions:
  • Free: Users can connect, control and automate up to five smart devices. Devices can be either cloud-connected or be connected via Homey Bridge.
  • Premium: A $2.99 monthly subscription per household includes an unlimited number of devices, and also provides access to Homey Insights and more advanced automation features like Homey Logic. Devices can be connected via Homey Bridge or the cloud.
• Voice Assistant Compatibility: Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Siri Shortcuts
• Control Options:
  • Smartphone or Tablet: iOS and Android
  • PC, Mac, Linux: Universal web app
  • Other: Apple Watch, iOS and Android widgets, voice assistants (Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Siri Shortcuts)

Athom, maker of privacy-first smart home solutions, will showcase the all new Homey Pro (Early 2023) smart home hub at CES 2023, before introducing it in worldwide retail in Q1 2023. Homey Pro is a highly advanced, privacy-aware, locally operating universal smart home hub built to create better smart homes. Now available for preorder, Homey Pro (Early 2023) features even more smart home technologies ánd better wireless range compared to its predecessor and will be available in more markets, including the U.S. and Canada. Press will be able to see the new Homey Pro in person for the first time during CES 2023, January 5-8 at the Netherlands Next Level Pavilion located in the Venetian Expo (Hall A-C, Booth 55332). Homey Bridge, which is currently in beta and slated for release in Q1 2023, will also be on display.

Homey Pro unites the powerful, intuitive Homey experience with local processing — all in one beautifully designed hub made for any home — making it possible for devices from countless manufacturers and platforms to work together. Connecting all of the smart devices in a single home has long been a challenge — one that Homey changed with the introduction of a hub for the smart home that allowed users to access devices in one location without scrolling through apps. Aside from connectivity, Homey Pro comes with lauded functionality like Homey Flow and Advanced Flow for automation, Homey Insights for historical data and Homey Energyto show real-time energy usage and generation. Unlike the Big Tech giants, Homey is also built privacy-first. It doesn’t listen in or sell any customer data, and it does not use personal information to create user profiles or targeted advertisements.

Homey Pro (Early 2023) works with minimal dependence on the cloud, with even more local control options than its predecessor, and is compatible with 50,000+ devices from more than 1000+ brands. New devices and services are added on a daily basis to the Homey App Store, which allows developers and manufacturers to extend support to more devices and services. The Homey App Store features more than 750 apps, including staff picks and popular apps that can be browsed by category for inspiration.

The Homey Pro (Early 2023) smart home hub features a quad-core ARMv8 processor, 2 GB of DDR4 RAM and 8 GB onboard storage. It also has up to 3.5 times better performance than the previous generation, and up to four times better wireless range, depending on the connection and technology. Homey cloud services, such as the Homey App Store and remote access, are included free of charge with the new Homey Pro, as well as a free local back-up option via PC or Mac. Cloud backups are available with an optional 99 cents per month subscription.

Homey Pro unites the smart home and smart devices in various ways, including:

• Eight Smart Home Technologies, including Matter: Homey Pro features Wi-Fi, BLE, Zigbee, Z-Wave, 433MHz, IR, Matter and Thread connectivity in a single hub. This allows users to combine devices on existing Zigbee and Z-Wave technology with new ones on Matter, the new smart home language backed by large brands including Google, Apple, Amazon and IKEA. In addition to generic Matter support, Homey Apps can extend Matter devices’ functionality with manufacturer-specific features, energy usage and a manufacturer-defined appearance to honor the brand’s uniqueness. Homey Pro also has the ability to bridge non-Matter devices to existing Matter networks. Matter support is scheduled for Q2 2023. Thread support is scheduled for Q3 2023.
• Wired Networks: In addition to Wi-Fi, Homey Pro can be connected to a wired network with the optional Homey Pro Ethernet Adapter (MSRP $29). Designed to be plugged into a power outlet, Homey Pro looks beautiful without messy cables, even when connected to ethernet.
• Satellite Mode: Homey Pro can be extended with one or more Homey Bridges to increase wireless coverage in large homes. Zigbee and Z-Wave act as powered repeaters in the mesh network. Devices that use Infrared or 433 MHz will use the nearest Homey Pro or Homey Bridge.

HOMEY PRO SPECIFICATIONS:

• Eight Smart Home Technologies: Wi-Fi (2.4GHz & 5GHz), Bluetooth Low Energy 5.0 (BLE), Zigbee 3.0, Z-Wave (Plus, S2), 433MHz RF, Infrared, Matter (Q2 2023) and Thread (Q3 2023) to connect with smart home devices. Homey Pro automatically switches its Z-Wave frequency with a unique multi-antenna design, based on Homey Pro’s geographical or country location. 433MHz RF is currently activated in Europe, Asia and Oceania.
• Supported Devices: 50,000+ smart devices from more than 1,000 brands
• Control Options:  
  • Smartphone or Tablet: iOS (v11 or higher) and Android (5.0 or higher)
  • PC, Mac, Linux: Universal web app including Homey Flow, Homey Insights and Advanced Flow

• Other: Apple Watch, iOS and Android widgets, voice assistants (Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Siri Shortcuts), inputs from physical smart devices through Homey Flow automations
• Local control: Homey Pro processes everything locally, independent of an internet connection. No subscription is required. It can be connected to local LAN instead of Wi-Fi through the optional Homey Pro Ethernet Adapter ($29).
• Price: $399 (US)  / €399 (EU) / £399 (UK)
• Where to Buy: Available now for pre-order on the Homey website and shipping worldwide in Q1 2023
• What’s in the Box: Homey Pro, USB-C power adapter, USB-C to USB-C power cable and a Quick Start Guide
• Hardware Specifications: 1.8GHz ARMv8 Quad Core, 2GB RAM, 8 GB storage.
• Device Dimensions: 5.04” inches in diameter x 1.5” inches in height
• Weight: 1.3 lbs (including packaging)
• Manufacturer Warranty: Two-years
• Certifications: FCC and CE