U.S. Bans Foreign Robovacs & How Z-Wave is Staying Relevant in 2026 with Guest Avi Rosenthal

In this episode, Andrew sits down with Avi Rosenthal, chair of the Z-Wave Alliance, to explore the future of smart home technology, the role of open standards, and why Z-Wave still matters in a world of Matter, Thread, and Wi‑Fi. They also dig into recent government restrictions on smart devices, the rise of Z-Wave Long Range, and what true interoperability looks like in the connected home.
Topics covered:
• The new ban on foreign robotics to the U.S.
• New rumors on Apple's smart home timeline
• A new circulator fan from SwitchBot
• Homey's new Matter 1.5 certification
• Why Z-Wave is still worth considering in new and existing smart homes
Send me your smart home questions and recommendations with the hashtag #SmartHomeInsider. Tweet and follow your host at:
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• @andrewohara941 on Threads (threads.net/@andrewohara941)
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Links from the show
• Apple's smart home rollout timeline (appleinsider.com/articles/26/07/28/apples-smar…)
• Homey's Matter 1.5 certification (homey.app/en-us/news/homey-matter-1-5-certified)
• SwitchBot Circular Fan 2 Pro (us.switch-bot.com/products/switchbot-battery-c…)
Those interested in sponsoring the show can reach out to us at: andrew@appleinsider.com