# iPhone Duo Arrives and this is what Apple Home looks like, HomePod Sound Glow & New Matter Devices

An episode of [Everything Apple Home](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/6803584724), 23 Oct 2026, 4:36.

Audio: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2638568/episodes/20009384-iphone-duo-arrives-and-this-is-what-apple-home-looks-like-homepod-sound-glow-new-matter-devices.mp3

This week on Everything Apple Home, Apple’s new iPhone Duo is finally available, and I’ve been exploring how the Home app takes advantage of its foldable display. Plus, I’ve been testing Sound Glow on my HomePods, Aqara launches a new outdoor smart plug, and SwitchBot announces permanent outdoor lighting. In this episode 📱 iPhone Duo – How Apple Home switches between iPhone and iPad-style layouts, delivering a smooth experience on Apple’s new foldable device. 🔊 HomePod Sound Glow – A colourful lighting effect on the HomePod display that reacts to music and takes inspiration from album artwork. 🔌 Aqara Outdoor Plug H2 EU – A new outdoor smart plug with Matter over Thread, Zigbee, energy monitoring and IP44 protection. 💡 SwitchBot Permanent Outdoor Lights – RGBICWW lighting with Matter support, designed to stay installed all year round. For more Apple Home news, reviews and guides, visit AppleHomeAuthority.com. Links From This Episode 🔗 SwitchBot outdoor lights - https://link.amazon/B0eEXFuXO 🔗Aqara H2 outdoor plug - https://link.amazon/B0dn3dg5x As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy through any of the Amazon links below, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your support helps me continue creating content for the channel. Thank you! applehome Authority Links • Watch on YouTube • Follow on Facebook • Follow on Instagram • Follow on X • Follow on TikTok

## Transcript

[0:00] SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to everything Apple Home, and this week Apple's new iPhone Duo is finally available, and I've been taking a look at how Apple Home works on its latest device.
[0:09] SPEAKER_00: I've also been playing around with SoundGlow and how it works on home pods, plus Akar has launched its new outdoor plug H2 for Europe and SwitchBot has announced new permanent outdoor lighting.
[0:20] SPEAKER_00: Let's get straight into it.
[0:21] SPEAKER_00: First up, the iPhone Duo is finally available this week, and while there's plenty to talk about with Apple's latest iPhone, what I've been particularly interested in for a long time is how Apple Home takes advantage of the new device.
[0:34] SPEAKER_00: Because one of the biggest benefits of the duo is being able to switch between a traditional iPhone experience and something much closer to using an iPad.
[0:43] SPEAKER_00: When you're using the smaller display, Apple Home feels like the familiar iPhone app.
[0:47] SPEAKER_00: But open up the duo and you get a much more spacious layout.
[0:51] SPEAKER_00: Apple Home takes full advantage of the traditional space to give you an experience much closer to the iPad.
[0:58] SPEAKER_00: That means much more room for accessories, scenes, cameras and navigating between different parts of the home.
[1:03] SPEAKER_00: For someone like me who's always in and out of Apple Home, having that flexibility in a single device is going to be genuinely useful.
[1:11] SPEAKER_00: Of course, the duo isn't a dedicated Apple Home controller like the new HomeView, but it does give you something quite different, the convenience of an iPhone and much more of screen space you'd normally associate with an iPad.
[1:24] SPEAKER_00: Another feature I've been playing around with this week is SoundGlow on the HomePod.
[1:29] SPEAKER_00: This brings a new visual experience to the top display of HomePod and the HomePod Mini with a colourful lighting effects that react to the music you're playing.
[1:38] SPEAKER_00: What's particularly interesting is how SoundGlow takes inspiration from the album artwork, using its colours to create a lighting effect that changes and moves with the music.
[1:48] SPEAKER_00: I've been testing it on my home pods and it's a really nice touch that makes the lighting experience a little bit more immersive.
[1:55] SPEAKER_00: And the good news is that SoundGlow will be available on the HomePod Generation 2 and both versions of the HomePod Mini.
[2:02] SPEAKER_00: It's available now via a developer release candidate and should be released to the public in the next two weeks.
[2:09] SPEAKER_00: Next, the car has expanded its smart home range with the new outdoor plug H2EU.
[2:15] SPEAKER_00: Outdoor plugs are particularly useful and with Apple Home integration, you can include these devices in scenes and automations and control them through your voice.
[2:24] SPEAKER_00: For Apple Young users in Europe, it's another option for extending automations beyond just the house itself.
[2:30] SPEAKER_00: These work via Matter over thread or Zigbee with an Acara Hub.
[2:34] SPEAKER_00: They're IP44 rated with a maximum load of 3680 watts.
[2:40] SPEAKER_00: It also has built-in energy monitoring, overload and overheating protection, and a European starting price of 32 euros.
[2:47] SPEAKER_00: Links in the description below for your relevant store if you want to check them out.
[2:50] SPEAKER_00: And finally, Switchbot has announced new permanent outdoor lights.
[2:55] SPEAKER_00: These are designed to be installed around the exterior of your home and left in place throughout the year.
[3:00] SPEAKER_00: So unlike traditional Christmas lights that you put up and take down every December, permanent outdoor lighting can be used for different occasions in everyday architectural lighting.
[3:10] SPEAKER_00: It's a product category that's becoming increasingly popular, particularly as more smart home manufacturers expand their outdoor lighting ranges.
[3:17] SPEAKER_00: Recently, Akara announced theirs at Ether, and they are coming in November, and lots of other brands are doing the same.
[3:25] SPEAKER_00: And following the merger between Nanoleaf and Switchbot, it's another sign that Switchbot is taking smart lighting seriously as it continues expanding beyond its normal switches, curtains, and smartlocks.
[3:36] SPEAKER_00: The announced kit is 30 meters long with 72 lights, it has built-in lighting effects, dedicated warm and cool light LEDs, a matter over Wi-Fi, and it doesn't require a Switchbot hub for Apple Home integration.
[3:50] SPEAKER_00: UK pricing is just under£200, and US pricing is just under£200.
[3:56] SPEAKER_00: UK will be available in November and US are shipping now.
[4:00] SPEAKER_00: So that's everything for Apple Home for this week.
[4:04] SPEAKER_00: For me, the highlight is definitely seeing Apple Home on the iPhone Duo.
[4:08] SPEAKER_00: Having the flexibility of iPhone and a larger iPad style interface in one device makes it a really interesting experience.
[4:16] SPEAKER_00: And with a car and switchbot continue to expand their outdoor product ranges, there's even more ways to bring Apple Home beyond the walls of your house.
[4:23] SPEAKER_00: For more Apple Home news, reviews, and guides, don't forget to check out my other social media platforms and make sure you're following the podcast so you don't miss the next week's episode.
[4:34] SPEAKER_00: Thanks very much, I'll speak to you next week.

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