OTA firmware updates
OTA (over-the-air) updates let a smart home device’s firmware be upgraded by radio — fixing bugs, patching security, and sometimes adding features such as Matter support. Whether you can actually apply them depends on the platform: vendor hubs update their own brand automatically, while Matter, Zigbee2MQTT, ZHA, and Z-Wave JS each have their own OTA mechanisms with varying coverage.
OTA reach differs by protocol. Matter defines a standard software-update mechanism, but in practice most updates still flow through the manufacturer’s own app or ecosystem as of mid-2026. Zigbee OTA works well where the manufacturer publishes images — Zigbee2MQTT and ZHA maintain shared open indexes of them (IKEA, Hue via its bridge, and others), but many cheap devices never ship an update at all. Z-Wave JS can flash firmware for devices whose makers release files.
Firmware updates are not always upgrades from your point of view: some have removed features or broken third-party compatibility, and battery-device updates can take hours over a sleepy radio. Reasonable defaults: apply security-relevant updates on locks and anything internet-exposed promptly; for a stable sensor mesh, “if it isn’t broken” has merit.