Netatmo has announced its second smart home thermostat: the Smart Modulating Thermostat.

So what's different about this one? In a nutshell: the Modulating Thermostat has OpenTherm technology, meaning the system can "adjust the temperature of the water in the heating circuits to manage the home's temperature precisely," says Netatmo.

That means not only can this smart home product be used to control your heating - whether automatically, using the app, or via the thermostat itself - but it can also control your hot water too. That latter part is something the original Smart Thermostat (i.e. not the Modulating model) didn't offer.

That puts Netatmo on a level playing field, competitive against the likes of Nest and Tado - companies which have offered OpenTherm heating solutions for some time (albeit without shouting about the OpenTherm label, as most modern boilers are compatible) - in offering an intelligent app-controlled heating and hot water setup.

In addition to scheduling, there's an Auto-Adapt feature that turns the heating on or off depending on the weather and your home's characteristics. And you can always override at any time using the thermostat itself or the app should, say, you want a boost of heating.

Not only that, the system can be further expanded upon too. Netatmo also sells Smart Radiator Valves, so not only can you control your home's heating, you can control it in zones if you so wish. Very smart.

This thermostat is also designed by Philippe Starck, with four different coloured stickers - blue, orange, green, yellow - provided in the box to give its own distinctive look. We know Starck is all about minimalism, but given how dynamic the competition is in this regard we think Netatmo could probably step up its game here.

The Netatmo Smart Modulating Thermostat is available now, priced £219.99. Professional installation is recommended.