SwitchBot has launched a unique technology capable of controlling smart home devices and infrared appliances. And the best thing is that you don't need to connect it to a smartphone or the Internet, as it works perfectly offline.
Aptly named the SwitchBot Universal Remote, it has large, spacious buttons, a navigation wheel in the middle, and a 2.4-inch LCD screen on top. The company states in its announcement that it sought to create a “user-friendly design” that everyone can understand.
Now, you can't just point the universal remote at a device and then press a button to immediately issue commands. According to Android Central, you first need to choose what you want to control, which you can do by pressing the central red button. By pressing the main button you will be able to change which group of smart home devices to control.
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The ratings include air conditioners, home lights, Apple TV streaming boxes, and Fire TV displays. Selections appear on the LCD screen at the top and you can scroll through the menu using the navigation wheel. It's worth mentioning that there are plans to expand display support to Roku TVs, Android TVs, and NVIDIA Shield at some point in the future.
Batteries are not included or necessary, as there is a 2000 mAh battery inside that can last up to 150 days, and when it runs out, you can recharge it via the USB-C port at the bottom.
Enabled subject
The universal remote control primarily works with home smart home devices, such as the SwitchBot LED Strip Lights. However, it can control third-party hardware thanks to its support for the Matter standard. You could, for example, turn on Philips Hue lights or close IKEA curtains, among other things. But there are a couple of pitfalls.
First, users must own a SwitchBot Hub 2 or Hub Mini (Matter Enabled) if they want to access the Matter network. The second caveat is that it only works with Apple Home. Neither Alexa nor Google Home are available “due to platform limitations,” although it appears the company is working on a solution.
The centers do more than enable Matter; They also allow people to create or choose smart home scenes to issue multiple commands. By choosing Movie mode, for example, you can close curtains, adjust the brightness of the light, turn on the TV and activate the sound system “at the touch of a button.” Quite useful.
Availability
The SwitchBot Universal Remote is available for pre-order right now on its official website. Prices start at $59.99 / £59.99 / €69.99. Packages that include a second remote control, the Hub 2 or the Hub Mini, are also available. And the universal remote control will start shipping on July 12, 2024.
We highly recommend reading the support page for the universal remote as it offers information about the hardware limitations. To give you an idea of ​​what the website is all about, it reveals that there is no child lock feature and that it can only manage up to 25 home devices simultaneously.
Also, holding down the buttons doesn't work. For example, if you want to increase the volume, you will have to press the button repeatedly; However, there are plans to roll out a firmware update enabling the feature by the end of 2024.
Be sure to check out TechRadar's list of the best smart home devices for 2024.
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