Aeotec Smart Home Hub 2 Drops Z‑Wave and Focuses on Thread Matter

At IFA 2025 Aeotec introduced the Smart Home Hub 2, the fourth-generation device built for Samsung's SmartThings platform—and the first in the lineup to drop a built-in Z‑Wave radio. The move signals a clear shift toward Thread, Matter, Zigbee and Bluetooth LE as the core connectivity stack for SmartThings homes.

Aeotec says the new hub delivers roughly twice the performance of its predecessor, adds USB expandability and acts as a Matter Controller for SmartThings. It’s designed for local-first communications so many automations will continue to run even if internet connectivity fails. The hub is slated to ship in Q4 2025.

For anyone relying on Z‑Wave devices, the news matters: SmartThings users who need Z‑Wave will have to stick with the SmartThings V3 (Aeotec Smart Home Hub). Aeotec plans to discontinue the V3 at the end of 2026 but says it completed a final production run and still has stock.

Samsung has increasingly embedded SmartThings capabilities into TVs, soundbars and appliances, but dedicated hubs like Aeotec’s still matter for larger homes and installations. They handle more devices, provide better range, and run richer local automations than an appliance-based hub.

What this means for users, integrators and device makers

If you manage smart-home fleets, run installations, or build devices, the hub change is both a warning and an opportunity: Z‑Wave’s footprint in SmartThings will shrink, while Thread and Matter adoption accelerates. Prepare now to avoid stranded devices and to leverage better interoperability and local resilience.

• Audit: catalog Z‑Wave endpoints, critical automations, and their business impact.
• Prioritize: replace or phase out Z‑Wave devices by risk and scale—locks and sensors first.
• Test local automations on Thread/Matter and Zigbee setups to ensure offline resilience.
• Evaluate hybrid paths: maintain a V3 hub for legacy devices while accelerating Matter adoption for new installs.

Real-world example: a property manager with hundreds of Z‑Wave locks can stagger replacements by portfolio and prioritize sites with the highest uptime or security needs, while running local automation tests on Thread-enabled models to confirm behavior before full rollout.

For device makers, the message is clear: Matter and Thread support are becoming prerequisites for broad SmartThings compatibility. For integrators and enterprise buyers, the new hub emphasizes planning for local-first logic and resilient operations.

QuarkyByte’s approach to this shift is analytical and pragmatic: quantify legacy exposure, simulate migration scenarios, and design staged rollouts that preserve critical automations. Organizations that act now can avoid unexpected replacements and capture the benefits of Matter-era interoperability and stronger local control.