Editorial policy

What we cover

Matter, Thread, Zigbee and Z-Wave devices and standards, Home Assistant and its ecosystem, the smart home platforms (HomeKit, Google Home, Alexa, SmartThings), device launches and firmware, compatibility, local control and privacy, with a UK reader in mind. We do not cover industrial or enterprise systems, and we do not publish rumours without a primary source.

How an article is made

Research and first drafts are produced with the help of AI. That is how we cover a lot of ground with a small team, and we say so plainly. Every piece is then read and checked by a human editor before it is published, and nothing goes live without that review. Astrid Thorsen is the editor responsible for what we publish.

What we check

• Facts against primary sources: specifications, release notes, the Alliance's public ledger, manufacturers' own pages.
• Names, version numbers and dates.
• The difference between announced and shipped, and between available in the UK and not.
• That we are not copying: we write our own words and our own structure.

What we never do

• Say that we tested a product unless we did. Our buying guides and compatibility pieces are comparisons based on published specifications and compatibility lists, they are not reviews, and they say so. Read more in the reviews policy.
• Say that a device works with or supports something unless a source says so.
• Invent a quote, a source, a qualification or a person.
• Let a retailer, brand or sponsor see or approve our copy, or buy a good word. Affiliate links and sponsored placements are explained in the affiliate disclosure.

Our data and its limits

Product pages draw on the public certification ledger. It can be late, incomplete or wrong, and it does not say which features a particular product supports. Where it is silent, we say it is silent.

Authors

Bylines are staff pen names used by the editorial team. Their bios say so. No byline claims a degree, an employer, years of experience or an award.

When we get it wrong

Tell us and we will fix it, and note the change if it matters. See corrections.