Samsung’s new generation Smart Home Hub 2 has completely abandoned Z-Wave support, a decision that reflects profound changes in the competitive landscape of smart home protocols. Once a mainstream standard, Z-Wave now faces the risk of marginalization, while the emerging Matter protocol attempts to end this long-standing “protocol war”.
At this year’s IFA in Berlin, Aeotec launched the new Smart Home Hub 2 in collaboration with Samsung. This next-generation smart home hub features a comprehensive hardware upgrade, supporting Bluetooth Low Energy, Zigbee, Thread, and Matter controller functionalities, but notably, the Z-Wave wireless protocol has been entirely removed.
This not only marks a strategic shift for Samsung’s SmartThings platform but may also serve as a bellwether for the entire smart home industry’s protocol competition.
01. The Glorious Past of Z-Wave: Why Was It Once Mainstream?
Z-Wave is a low-power wireless communication protocol promoted by Sigma Designs (later taken over by Silicon Labs) and has long been regarded as one of the mainstream standards in smart homes. Its technical characteristics are distinct and practical:
– High reliability: Operating in the Sub-GHz frequency band (unlike the 2.4GHz commonly used by Zigbee), it has strong anti-interference capabilities and a large coverage area.
– Low power design: Suitable for battery-powered devices, offering long service life.
– Strong device interoperability: The Z-Wave Alliance has strict certification standards, allowing devices from different manufacturers to work seamlessly together.
– Mesh network support: Devices can relay signals, extending coverage.
These advantages have led to Z-Wave being widely adopted in high-reliability applications such as security, locks, and sensors. One of Z-Wave’s greatest strengths is its interoperability. The Z-Wave standard ensures that all deployed devices are compatible with each other, regardless of the manufacturer.
02. The Chaotic Era of Protocol Competition: User Confusion in Smart Homes
In the early stages of smart home development, the market was long divided by various protocols: Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Z-Wave, Thread, etc. Both manufacturers and consumers faced compatibility issues.
Zigbee, as the main competitor to Z-Wave, is also a low-power wireless mesh networking protocol based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. It operates in the 2.4GHz band, which may be subject to interference from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Zigbee’s advantages lie in its flexibility and a wider range of vendor options.
Z-Wave, on the other hand, operates at a frequency of 908MHz, avoiding interference from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Its transmission distance is further, reaching 100 meters in line of sight, while Zigbee only reaches 20 meters. Additionally, Z-Wave consumes less power than Zigbee.
Both protocols support mesh networking, allowing devices in sleep mode to operate for years on button batteries. However, their incompatibility has led to consumer confusion and market fragmentation.
03. Why Did Samsung Abandon Z-Wave? Costs, Strategy, and Future Layout
Samsung’s decision to abandon Z-Wave support was not sudden but a strategic choice made after careful consideration:
– The Rise of the Matter Protocol: Matter is driven by tech giants like Apple, Google, Amazon, and Samsung, aiming to unify smart home protocols and naturally integrate Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Thread, with the goal of breaking down ecological barriers. In contrast, Z-Wave lacks such global alliance support.
– Convergence of Ecological Fragmentation: The smart home market has long been divided by various protocols, leading to compatibility issues for manufacturers and consumers alike. Samsung’s move effectively chooses to align with the Matter ecosystem, accelerating industry consolidation.
– Cost and Simplification Considerations: Integrating Z-Wave requires additional chips and certification, increasing hardware and ecological complexity. Globally, Zigbee and Thread can meet most application needs, gradually diminishing the necessity for Z-Wave.
04. The Unified Dream of Matter: The Gap Between Ideal and Reality
As a rising star, the Matter protocol carries the mission of unifying smart home protocols. Developed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA, formerly the Zigbee Alliance), it has the support of tech giants like Apple, Google, Amazon, and Samsung.
The goal of Matter is to provide a unified application layer, enabling device manufacturers to build products compatible with multiple smart home ecosystems. This means that theoretically, consumers purchasing Matter-certified devices can be assured that they will work with platforms like Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings.
However, the development of Matter has not been smooth. Avi Rosenthal, chairman of the Z-Wave Alliance board, pointed out: “We install over 35 million devices annually, but we are just a part of the IoT ecosystem. Interoperability is crucial for industry development, with different technologies corresponding to different application scenarios.”
05. Z-Wave’s Response Strategy: Technological Innovation and Ecological Collaboration
Facing the risk of being abandoned by major platforms, Z-Wave has not remained idle. It is writing its survival rules through a dual strategy of technological innovation and ecological collaboration.
The Z-Wave Alliance made significant progress in 2024: in 2023, over 160 devices were certified, a 30% increase from 120 in 2022. More importantly, the types of certified Z-Wave devices have become more diverse, no longer limited to traditional security products and sensors, but also including devices catering to energy management, such as smart meters and HVAC controls.
Z-Wave’s technological innovations are also ongoing:
– The Z-Wave Long Range protocol has achieved breakthrough growth in the U.S. market and will expand to the European market.
– The S2 security standard has been upgraded to version 2, further enhancing protection levels.
– A revolutionary battery-free sensing technology has been launched: through kinetic energy harvesting technology, devices will operate across the full Z-Wave bandwidth without sacrificing transmission distance or performance. Battery-free water leak sensors, door/window sensors, and smart locks are expected to be launched in the coming months.
06. A Future of Diverse Coexistence: No Absolute Winners
The competition among smart home protocols will not completely disappear but will evolve into a state of diverse coexistence. Different protocols will maintain advantages in their respective fields:
– Z-Wave may retain a place in high-reliability, professional security markets, especially in North America.
– Zigbee is expected to continue its strong position in smart lighting, with systems like Philips Hue already forming a mature ecosystem.
– Thread, as an IP-based protocol, will closely integrate with Matter to provide better connectivity for devices.
– Wi-Fi and Bluetooth will continue to play important roles in high-speed data transmission and short-range connections.
In this diversified landscape, multi-protocol gateways will become key solutions. Devices like Homey Pro and SmartThings gateways have already proven the feasibility of cross-protocol interactions.
07. How Should Users Choose? Practical Guidelines and Suggestions
Faced with the complex competition among protocols, how should ordinary users choose smart home products? The following suggestions may be helpful:
1. Prioritize Matter-certified products: If you are just starting to build a smart home system, choosing products that support the Matter protocol will provide the best assurance for future compatibility.
2. Consider multi-protocol hubs: Hubs like SmartThings, Hubitat, or Home Assistant can support multiple protocols like Z-Wave and Zigbee simultaneously.
3. Choose based on specific needs: If you need high-reliability security devices, Z-Wave may still be a better choice; if you are looking for smart lighting systems, Zigbee may offer more options.
4. Pay attention to ecosystem compatibility: Ensure that the devices you choose are compatible with the smart assistants you use (such as Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri).
5. Consider long-term support and updates: Choose brands and protocols that commit to long-term support and technical updates.
08. Openness and Unity as the Ultimate Trend
The development history of smart home protocols reflects a common pattern in the tech industry’s standards struggle: from fragmentation to unity, from closed to open. Samsung’s abandonment of Z-Wave support is just a symbolic event in this process.
The true winner is not a specific protocol but those that can provide users with seamless experiences, reliable performance, and open ecosystems. As the Matter protocol continues to mature and gain traction, the smart home industry is expected to ultimately achieve true interoperability, making technology invisible and experiences more human-centric.
Z-Wave may gradually become marginalized, but it will not completely disappear. In specific application scenarios and professional fields, it will still hold a place. As Avi Rosenthal said, “Engineers should choose technical solutions based on specific needs; our mission is to continuously expand the choices of technology.”
The future of smart homes will no longer be a war of protocols but a competition of experiences. Solutions that can provide stable, intelligent, and convenient services regardless of the protocol used will ultimately win over users and the market.