Quick update – we have gone back and forth with the manufacturer for starting this project and in the midst of some back and forth, we were talking about the new MG26 chip that allows both Zigbee and Thread/Matter and we will be piloting the chip with this project.
EDIT (August 15, 2025): I want to put a large disclaimer here about the MG26 – while we have been told this is possible, we still need to test it and make sure it is possible. Let’s assume that the default is that this is a Thread/Matter product, but we will try our best to get it so that you can choose either or. Luckily there are other products out there that seem to be able to do it, but the problem we ran into before with the MG21 is that we were told something like this was possible, but it ended up not being the case due to the Matter firmware getting too large and our internal firmware was too advanced and took up too much room. Luckily it’s been a few years, so hopefully things have changed, but we’re willing to explore this.
What this means is that you will be able to choose either Thread/Matter or Zigbee. @EricM_Inovelli can explain further, but credit goes to him for pushing this!
As for the pre-ordering, I think for the time being, we need to hold-off on the actual purchase of the product until we can get further down the development route as the company that is handling VAT and shipping needs to know the box sizes, weights, etc which we do not have since we haven’t developed the product.
However, as stated, we are moving forward with this project regardless of pre-orders. I just wanted to clarify why you haven’t seen any movement on the website.
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As for beta testing, here’s the process:
- I want to lock down the timeline with the manufacturer now that we’ve settled on the MG26 and what the switch can/cannot do
- Once that’s completed and we have a timeline, I should know more about when we’ll be able to get the beta units – my guess (and you all know how great I am at guessing timelines…) is likely 3-4 months
In the meantime, I am working on a portal for beta testing and will post a link for a form to fill out if you’re interested. It’s going to be a learning experience for us as we’ve never tested anything outside of North America, so we’re really hoping to find some people who can help and are engaged with us.