Smart Home Insider Apple Home Hub Swivel Base, Netamto Thermostat, & Sony Cedes the TV Space
Jan 26, 2026
Eric from Modern Day Tech, a YouTuber who reviews smart-home gear and platform integrations. They talk about the pain of remote smart-home installs and why in-person help often wins. They debate a motorized swivel Home Hub and its uses for cameras and FaceTime. They react to Sony handing TV production to TCL and cover Netatmo’s return to thermostats and Matter support.
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Apple Home Hub Debate And Third-Party Pressure
- Apple is actively developing a tabletop Home Hub and analysts disagree on exact features and timing, including a possible swivel base.
- Third parties already ship hub-like panels, reducing Apple's first-mover urgency and raising expectations.
Place Hub Where It Sees The Right Rooms
- Consider placement and use cases before buying a motorized swivel Home Hub; location affects whether rotation helps visibility.
- Pick a spot that covers the rooms you use most to avoid pointless swiveling.
Sony Cedes TV Manufacturing To TCL
- Sony will hand major TV production to TCL while keeping the Bravia brand, signaling industry consolidation.
- That move may lower perceived premium quality and affect built-in smart-home integrations users expect.