Shelly Wall Display Becomes a Free Matter Hub With Firmware 2.8.0

Most “Matter hub” launches ask you to buy another box. Shelly is shipping a free over-the-air update instead. Firmware 2.8.0—announced around IFA 2026 and covered for consumers by outlets including T3 on September 9, 2026—turns compatible Shelly Wall Displays into both a Matter controller and a Matter device.

What the dual role means

As a controller, the panel can add supported Matter devices from other brands—lights, blinds and shades, thermostats, fans, plugs, and sensors—without a separate bridge. Those devices appear as tiles beside Shelly gear and can join Shelly scenes, automations, and scripts that run locally on the panel, per Shelly’s media kit and AppleHome Authority’s write-up.

As a Matter device, the display can expose its own relays, dimmer, and thermostat functions to Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, SmartThings, and Home Assistant. That is the interoperability Matter was sold on: one wall UI plus the ecosystem app you already use.

Which panels get the full update

Full controller + device support: Wall Display X1i, X2i, XL, U1, S1, S2, and XT. First-generation Wall Display and Wall Display X2 can control Matter devices shared from a newer panel but do not get the complete dual-role package. Important caveat: Thread-based Matter accessories still need a separate Thread Border Router—the Wall Display does not remove that requirement.

Why maison-connectée readers should care

If you already own a supported Wall Display, this is rare good news: capability without a new cart total. If you are shopping hubs after IFA’s local-AI wave (MindBase, HomeAgent, and friends), a free Matter controller on hardware that also looks like a thermostat is a pragmatic alternative. Verify 2.8.0 in the Shelly app before you promise guests a multi-brand wall dashboard.

Coverage from AppleHome Authority emphasizes the Apple Home angle: supported Wall Display functions can appear in HomeKit-style setups via Matter while the panel itself remains a local controller for third-party tiles. That dual path is what makes firmware 2.8.0 more than a checkbox update for mixed-brand apartments.

FAQ

Is the Matter hub free? Yes—firmware 2.8.0 is a free OTA. Which models get full dual roles? Wall Display X1i, X2i, XL, U1, S1, S2, and XT. Do Thread devices work alone? No—Thread Matter accessories still need a separate Thread Border Router.

Sources: Shelly, T3, AppleHome Authority.