It’s been almost two years since the Matter standard has launched to make a more seamless smart home experience. But the rollout has been a bumpy ride. The latest update to the standard is here, but will it be enough to jump start progress?
Matter 1.4 Features Better Interoperability
The Matter standard is made to solve one of the major problems with smart home technology. Currently, there are three major platforms—Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa. You’ll need to purchase a smart home device, like a smart door lock, that’s compatible with the platform you choose.
But smart home devices with Matter can work with any ecosystem. That removes a big barrier to adoption for new users.
After its release, the standard has not taken off for a number of reasons, including slow adoption by accessory makers and smart home platforms.
The new 1.4 update from the Connectivity Standards Alliance adds a number of features to the standard.
Most importantly is enhanced Multi-Admin. That allows users to connect Matter devices to multiple smart home platforms. The enhanced feature allow existing and new devices to connect to multiple ecosystems automatically without any extra work from users.
With the update, a number of new energy devices are being added, including solar power, batteries, heat pumps, water heaters, and more.
Another addition is that home routers/modems, access points, and set-top boxes can be designed or upgraded to provide more robust support for Matter. That is done by combining a Wi-Fi access point and Thread Border Router.
Even though the update is here, don’t expect to see any changes immediately. Both smart home platform makers, like Amazon, and device manufacturers must update or add the new standard. And that will take a substantial amount of time.
Matter Needs Time to Succeed
Despite a rocky beginning, Matter is still the smart home standard of the future. The Connectivity Standards Alliance is made up of all the major smart home platforms and a wealth of accessory manufacturers.
Progress takes time, and the Matter standard has already made the smart home better and easier to use. Hopefully, continual updates will help make the standard even better.
