FRITZ! expanded its networking lineup at IFA 2026 with a fleet of Wi-Fi 7 hardware and announced FRITZ!OS 8.50, an upcoming firmware update that introduces Matter Bridge functionality.
The upcoming FRITZ!OS 8.50 firmware allows smart home accessories linked to a FRITZ!Box to integrate directly into third-party smart home platforms, including Apple Home, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa. Instead of requiring native Apple Home or Matter certification on every individual peripheral, the router acts as a translator for connected DECT ULE and Zigbee hardware. HomeKit News reported that FRITZ! initially confirmed the Matter Bridge feature for the existing FRITZ!Box 5690 Pro, mirroring the bridging architecture utilized by standalone hubs from brands like Philips Hue and Aqara.
New Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Gateways
On the hardware side, the manufacturer debuted the FRITZ!Box 6690 Pro, a DOCSIS 3.1 cable gateway equipped with tri-band Wi-Fi 7 across the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands. The unit delivers cumulative theoretical wireless throughput reaching 12.2 Gbps and incorporates both Zigbee and DECT ULE radios, allowing smart home accessories to pair directly without external bridges. FRITZ! priced the FRITZ!Box 6690 Pro at €429 with immediate market availability.
Alongside the cable model, the company previewed the FRITZ!Box DSL/Fiber 7-90. Engineered to bridge legacy copper and current optical deployments, the hybrid gateway supports GPON and AON fiber alongside standard DSL connections. The FRITZ!Box DSL/Fiber 7-90 matches the 12.2 Gbps tri-band Wi-Fi 7 throughput of the cable flagship and features multi-gigabit WAN and LAN interfaces. It also debuts an updated industrial design that consolidates physical controls into a single button and LED indicator, complemented by an internal cable routing channel. FRITZ! has not announced pricing or release dates for the FRITZ!Box DSL/Fiber 7-90.
Expanded Fiber, Cellular, and Mesh Hardware
Additional networking gear revealed at the event targets high-speed fiber and mobile connectivity. The FRITZ!Box 5630 XGS caters to symmetric 10 Gbps broadband over XGS-PON networks, while the FRITZ!Box 6835 5G provides 5G and 4G connectivity with support for physical Nano SIM cards and eSIM profiles. The mobile gateway also accepts power over USB-C, allowing it to run from portable battery banks during transit or outages.
To extend multi-gigabit coverage across larger installations, the company introduced the FRITZ!Repeater 6700 Pro. The quad-band Wi-Fi 7 mesh extender provides wireless throughput up to 18 Gbps and includes 10GbE and 2.5GbE Ethernet ports for high-bandwidth wired backhaul. These releases signal a coordinated transition across the FRITZ! portfolio to establish Wi-Fi 7 as the default standard for both customer-premises modems and local network infrastructure.
