{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Smart Home Insider","title":"Apple Event Rumors, New Sonos Gear, & How Matic Is Reinventing Robovacs with Co-Founder Mehul","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/c1b8485e\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":4440,"description":"Andrew kicks off with a fast-moving smart home news roundup, then sits down with Mehul, co-founder of Matic, to unpack how his team built a radically different robot vacuum. The conversation covers Apple event rumors, new smart home apps, Sonos hardware updates, and then goes deep on robot design, privacy, AI, and the tradeoffs behind Matic’s no-dock approach.\nKey topics\nAndrew previews the upcoming Apple event, including the iPhone 18 Pro, a possible foldable iPhone, new Apple Watches, AirPods, and the chance of new smart home hardware.\nMehul explains his background in computer vision, including early work at Like.com, Flutter, Google, and Nest security cameras.\nThe pair discuss why Matic was built around a taller, boxier form factor instead of the usual disc-shaped vacuum design.\nMehul argues that most robot vacuums are automation without intelligence, while Matic is designed to behave more like a human navigating a home.\nThe show highlights several new smart home apps and utilities, including Overflight, Wallflower 3, and Threadalytics.\nAndrew and Mehul talk through Sonos’ new Beam Ultra and Ace Ultra headphones, plus the importance of app intents and assistant integration.\nThe conversation digs into Apple’s rumored smart home push, including a possible home security and monitoring service.\nMehul explains why Matic uses on-device vision processing, local privacy-first gesture detection, and cloud-based language parsing only for open-ended voice commands.\nAndrew shares hands-on impressions of Matic’s live activities, room queue controls, vocal prompts, and kid-friendly design details.\nThe episode closes with pricing changes, a six-month return policy, and the broader tradeoff between simplicity, intelligence, and maintenance.\nSend me your smart home questions and recommendations with the hashtag #SmartHomeInsider. Tweet and follow your host at:\n@andrew_osu on Twitter\n@andrewohara941 on Threads\nEmail me here\nSponsored by:\nQuo: Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/t85MVJS_0uvv2qbudZM4kkjMQjvs_YA22im1okjYoZ0/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8yNjgz/ZWFkYzcxNDhhZDI4/ZmViYWE4ZTljNjll/MWQzZi5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}