FabianThis week, the Connectivity Standards Alliance, which includes Philips Hue manufacturer Signify, made a sweeping announcement. In addition to Matter 1.5, which I told you about yesterday, Zigbee 4.0 was also announced. As you know, Zigbee is the wireless protocol that Philips Hue has been using for more than ten years. A whole new technology called Suzi was also introduced. What can we expect?
The most important details about Zigbee 4.0
Zigbee 4.0 brings a comprehensive modernization of the familiar Zigbee platform: In addition to improved interoperability between Zigbee and smart energy devices, the new version offers simplified certification, optimized data communication, and extended frequency support for the European 800 MHz and North American 900 MHz bands. This significantly increases the range and reliability of the networks.
Zigbee 4.0 places particular emphasis on security and network stability. New mechanisms such as “Dynamic Link Key,” “Device Interview,” and “Smart Energy Authentication Level Control” increase control over device access and protect against tampering. This is complemented by features such as “Restricted Mode,” “Secured Channel,” and “Trust Center Swap Out,” which facilitate the secure management of large installations. Improvements such as standardized network retries, more precise message validation, and optimized energy management for “sleepy devices” further increase the performance and service life of networked products.
Probably the most important detail of the announcement: All future devices with Zigbee 4.0 will be backward compatible and compatible with Zigbee 3.0.
This is what Philips Hue has to say about the new Zigbee standard
With its numerous smart lighting products, Philips Hue is undoubtedly one of the giants in the Zigbee cosmos. So it comes as no surprise that Signify was directly involved in the development of the ZigBee 4.0 standard. “The update to the standard includes numerous features that enable further improvements in reliability and security and are also relevant for various Signify products, including Philips Hue,” says the manufacturer. However, not much is likely to happen in the near future, as they also say: “At this point in time, we do not have any information about plans for a changeover.”
And then there’s Suzi
We don’t want to keep a brand new technology that was introduced together with Zigbee 4.0 from you: Suzi. This technology significantly extends the range of classic Zigbee networks and enables energy-efficient, stable communication over long distances – ideal for smart buildings, outdoor areas, or industrial applications. Suzi relies on the same security standards as Zigbee and remains interoperable across manufacturers. Certification for Suzi products is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2026.
With Zigbee 4 able to use the same sub-GHz frequency bands that are capable of longer distance communications, as Z-wave has always used, the future for the Z-wave standard is looking less certain.
Especially if in time the 2.4GHz band only Thread standard (based on the same 802.15.4 radio as Zigbee) also supported sub-GHz frequency bands.
It’s to late.
Matter and Thread is beginning to take over the market and the false promises made combined with the growing need for data means that many consumers see matter and thread as the savior of the smart home space while companies have realized the potential of the options of locking key features behind accounts and pay walls.
Exciting news! Zigbee 4.0 sounds like a major upgrade for Philips Hue users, with improved range, reliability and security. Backward compatibility with Zigbee 3.0 is a big relief for existing setups. Suzi technology also looks promising for larger smart installations and outdoor areas. Can’t wait to see how these innovations enhance Hue’s ecosystem!