Zigbee has made a significant leap forward with the Connectivity Standards Alliance's announcement of Zigbee 4.0, a major upgrade to this long-standing smart home protocol.
The most notable enhancement is a feature that users have long desired: the ability to add Zigbee devices directly from a smartphone, eliminating the need for a hub.
This update integrates Zigbee Direct into the standard, allowing phones to use Bluetooth Low Energy to connect and control nearby devices. This means you can set up lights, sensors, and switches even if you haven't installed a hub, which is particularly convenient for renters, beginners, and anyone who has had to search for a network reset button in hard-to-reach places.
Another key addition is the introduction of Suzi, short for Sub-GHz and Zigbee. While traditional Zigbee devices operate on the congested 2.4GHz band, Suzi-certified products will function on 800MHz in Europe and 900MHz in North America. These lower frequencies offer better range and penetration through walls, making them ideal for outdoor sensors, sheds, garages, or installations where Wi-Fi and Thread often fall short.
The CSA notes that Suzi will also benefit commercial and industrial spaces, such as buildings with thick concrete, multi-level layouts, or large-scale deployments where range and reliability are more critical than speed.
Zigbee 4.0 includes several other quality-of-life improvements. Enhanced security, more efficient data exchange, and improved battery life for scheduled communication devices are among the updates. The certification process for manufacturers has been simplified, and a new Batch Commissioning feature allows for the setup of multiple devices at once. For example, an electrician could install Zigbee bulbs throughout a new building before power is connected and then activate them all simultaneously, rather than configuring each one individually.
