Snap One, now a part of ADI, has introduced a completely re-imagined user interface while at CEDIA Expo 2024. The new interface, called Control4 X4, is meant to help end-users fine tune their smart home systems through continued use, taking the job of programming small updates out of the hands of integrators and making it simple and easy enough for homeowners to do it themselves.

“Control4 X4 is an evolutionary milestone for Control4, offering significant benefits to both end-users and our partners,” said Darin Theurer, Principal Product Manager at Snap One.

 “This intuitive interface provides customers with a richer, more empowering, and enjoyable smart home experience. We’ve set the bar high with Control4 X4, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in home automation and control.”

With the launch of X4, Snap One has also stated it will be sunsetting cloud services for Control4 OS 2 systems in 2026.

Control4 X4 Makes Smart Home Management More User-Friendly

As any integrator will know, small changes to a control system after installation are not uncommon, as even with all the preparation and discussion integrators do with clients, you’re not going to notice some things that might need changing until its been used on a daily basis. Lifestyles also naturally change over time, so what might be a good feature today might not be as good tomorrow.

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“As technology advances, so too do the demands and expectations of consumers. They want simple, intuitive, comprehensive control of their home systems, quick, easy access to rich, adaptable content, and bespoke, modern aesthetics for a highly personalized and empowering experience,” added Theurer.

Where Control4 X4 comes in is that it enables customer-driven, post-installation tweaks to home automations through features called Routines and Widgets. For example, users can easily create, modify, and schedule Routines directly from the Control4 App, allowing them to adjust their system to accommodate new habits or preferences throughout the day.

Before handing off the system to users, installers can leverage Routines to quickly set up basic automations for their customers, saving time and creating a more replicable out-of-the-box experience.

Once the client starts using the system, they can then tweak the specific parameters of the Routines to fit their evolving needs directly from the app. Users can also set favorites and shortcuts to provide quick access to frequently used controls and scenes, making daily interactions seamless.

Control4 X4 Features and Availability

Looking closer at the interface itself, Control4 X4 features a modern and minimalist design that is meant to be simple and easy to understand for the non-technically minded. The interface also utilizes a completely new navigation design language to ensure that even as new devices and systems are added to a home, they too can be easily populated onto the Control4 X4 interface.

As an example, users can set it up so that entire subsystem or group of products, such as surveillance cameras, can be monitored and controlled from a single, consolidated hub called the Home Screen and they can easily switch between Whole System Control, Rooms, Routines, Sessions, and Settings.

Control4 X4 also includes enhanced Apple HomeKit functionality, offering deeper integration with the Apple ecosystem and enabling unified management of the Control4 system across Apple products such as CarPlay, iPhone Control Center, and Mac Desktop.

Users can also launch scenes via Siri and adjust the settings of individual lighting dimmers and other devices.

While it’s all great for clients, it’s great for integrators as well, as this added self-sufficiency to the user experience helps free up time that might otherwise be spent on minor calls. Dealers can also offer clients a subscription to Control4 Connect to facilitate consistent updates to the Control4 X4 interface.

Control4 X4 replaces Control4 OS 3.4.2 and the OS3 App and will be available initially as early-access to partners in the United States starting early next year, followed by an international rollout.

According to Snap One, the new X4 OS will be releasing early 2025, with an exact date not yet specified. The Control4 X4 Beta will be opening in late 2024, according to Snap, with more details to come. Partners can expect to receive access to multiple webinars, demos, and more in the coming months.

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