CES 2026: Smart Home Innovations, AirTag 2, and Shortcuts Automation

Smart Home Innovations at CES 2026

• 💡 Accara's U400 smart lock was a highlight, featuring ultra-wideband (UWB) technology for proximity unlocking with Apple Watch and iPhone, offering improved reliability over older Bluetooth methods.
• 🎯 The Matter standard is increasingly shaping the smart home landscape, with many devices now supporting it, promising better cross-platform compatibility, though some fragmentation persists.
• 🏠 Lutron showcased automated wood blinds that tilt based on sun position and a humidity-sensing switch for exhaust fans, though these devices often operate within proprietary ecosystems.
• 🔑 Apple's HomeKit ecosystem is evolving, with hopes for features like fingerprint support for locks and improved HomeKit Secure Video resolution, while the Matter 1.5 specification is anticipated for broader integration.
• 🧠 Occupancy sensors, like Accara's FP300, are preferred over motion sensors for automations, as they detect presence even when stationary, preventing lights from turning off unintentionally.

New Apple Devices and Features

• 🚀 AirTag 2 was announced with a significantly louder speaker (50% louder) and improved range, enhancing its findability.
• ⌚️ Precision Finding for AirTag 2 is now available on Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Series 9, allowing for direct on-watch tracking.
• 📱 The MOFT MagSafe wallet with built-in Find My capability was highlighted as a thin alternative to AirTag-equipped wallets, with a tripod wallet version planned.
• 🎮 Civilization VII is coming to Apple Arcade, offering a special edition for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, alongside other new games like Retrocade for Apple Vision Pro.

Shortcuts Corner: Automating Medical Education Credits

• 📞 A detailed workflow was demonstrated for creating an iOS shortcut to automate claiming medical education credits.
• 📅 The shortcut calculates a conference code by concatenating the day of the year with a department code.
• ☎️ It then uses the phone app's ability to dial a number and input an extension (via a comma in the dial string) to automate the call and code entry process.
• 🛠️ While full automation of the phone tree is dependent on the system, the shortcut significantly streamlines the process of calculating the code and initiating the call.