The newest Samsung SmartThings hub ditches Z-Wave

Aeotec has officially introduced the Smart Home Hub 2, a next-generation central controller developed in partnership with Samsung for the SmartThings ecosystem.

Revealed at the IFA technology trade show, the upcoming device is slated for a release in the final quarter of 2025. The most notable change in this iteration is the complete omission of Z-Wave radio technology, marking a major departure from previous versions of the hardware. To compensate for this transition, the new hub offers twice the processing performance of its predecessor and emphasizes local-first communication. This design choice ensures that the majority of a user's pre-configured smart home routines and automated tasks can execute directly on the physical device without requiring an active internet connection. Additionally, the unit features USB expandability and natively supports modern wireless protocols such as Thread, Zigbee, Matter, and Bluetooth Low Energy.

For smart home enthusiasts who still depend heavily on Z-Wave peripherals, the transition will require utilizing the older third-generation model, currently manufactured by Aeotec. Although production of the older version has concluded, the company has assured customers that ample inventory remains available to meet demand until the device is officially retired at the end of 2026. This product launch reflects a broader structural change in Samsung's smart home division, which stopped manufacturing its own physical hubs several years ago. While Samsung has increasingly focused on embedding basic SmartThings controller capabilities directly into its smart televisions, soundbars, and major appliances, dedicated hardware like the new Aeotec hub remains essential for larger residences due to its superior signal range, increased device capacity, and robust local processing power.