Better Than the iPad on the Wall?

🏠 A wall-mounted smart home command center sounds simple enough: put an iPad on the wall and call it a day. Except once you start thinking about power, mounting, replacing the switch, waking the screen, cost… it gets complicated pretty quickly.

In this video, I explore the iPad-on-the-wall approach before testing the Shelly Wall Display XL as a purpose-built alternative. It solves a surprising number of those problems in one device, including hidden power, a built-in relay, motion wake and support for Homey and Home Assistant.

But there are some pretty significant limitations too.

And following a new announcement from IFA 2026, the Shelly Wall Display XL is about to get a big upgrade for your smart home.

Referenced Products:
Shelly Wall Display XL: https://amzn.to/3V5nQzx
Aqara W200: https://amzn.to/3UPzcYr
SwitchBot Hub 3: https://amzn.to/4iZT0SR
AC to USB C Adapter: https://amzn.to/4r55AT3

Chapters:
0:00 – Intro
2:19 – Placement and Power
3:31 – Losing the Wall Switch
3:51 – …