The Matter standard, developed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), represents a significant advancement in the world of smart home and smart building technology. Here’s a brief overview:
1. Objective: Matter aims to create a universal standard for smart home devices, ensuring they work seamlessly together regardless of the manufacturer. This interoperability is designed to simplify the user experience and foster a more cohesive smart home ecosystem.
2. Cross-Compatibility: Matter supports a range of smart home products like lights, locks, thermostats, and more. It’s designed to work across various platforms, including Apple’s HomeKit, Amazon’s Alexa, and Google’s Home ecosystem.
3. Technology Base: The standard is built on Internet Protocol (IP), allowing for secure and reliable connectivity across existing home networking equipment.
4. Security Focus: Matter places a strong emphasis on security, implementing robust protection measures to safeguard user data and device operation.
5. Simplified Setup: By standardizing the setup process, Matter makes adding new devices to a smart home network easier and more user-friendly.
6. Broad Industry Support: A wide range of companies and manufacturers support Matter, indicating a strong industry consensus and promising widespread adoption.
7. Future-Proofing: Matter is designed to be adaptable and scalable, ensuring it can support future innovations in the smart home space.
This standard represents a significant step towards a more interconnected and user-friendly smart home/building environment.
Not a Product or Brand: Matter is not a consumer product or a brand of smart home devices. It’s a standard or protocol that manufacturers can use to ensure their products are compatible with others in the ecosystem.
Not Exclusive to a Single Manufacturer: Matter is not proprietary to any single company or manufacturer. It’s an open standard developed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), with broad industry support.
Not Limited to High-End Devices Only: The standard is not exclusive to high-end or premium smart home devices. It aims to be inclusive, allowing a range of products from different price points to be compatible.
Not a Networking Technology: Matter is not a networking technology like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Instead, it operates on top of existing networking technologies to enable interoperability between devices.
Not a Standalone System: Matter does not work as a standalone smart home system. It’s a protocol for interoperability, meaning it needs to be integrated into devices and platforms to function.
Not a Data Collection Tool: Matter is designed for interoperability and security, not for collecting user data. Its primary function is to facilitate communication between devices, not to gather or analyze user information.
Not a Replacement for Existing Standards (Immediately): While Matter aims to unify smart home standards, it doesn’t immediately replace existing protocols like Zigbee or Z-Wave. Instead, it provides a framework for future compatibility and integration.
Not Limited to Indoor Use: Matter isn’t restricted to indoor devices only. It can potentially be used for outdoor smart home devices as well, broadening its application scope.
Not Inherently Universal: Despite its broad compatibility goals, not all existing smart home devices will automatically be compatible with Matter. Device manufacturers need to actively integrate and certify their products with the Matter standard.
In summary, Matter is a unifying protocol designed to ensure interoperability and security across a diverse range of smart home devices, but it is not a standalone technology, brand, or system, and its adoption depends on the integration efforts of device manufacturers.
The Matter standard, developed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), has garnered significant support from a wide range of companies across the tech and smart home industries. This support is key to its potential success and widespread adoption. Here’s a snapshot of the types of entities and notable companies that support the Matter standard:
Major Tech Companies
- Apple: Known for its HomeKit platform, Apple is a notable supporter of the Matter standard, aiming to enhance the interoperability of smart home devices within its ecosystem.
- Google: Google has shown support for Matter, particularly for its integration with the Google Home ecosystem and Android devices.
- Amazon: As a major player in the smart home space with Alexa and Echo devices, Amazon’s support is crucial for the integration of Matter into a vast array of smart home products.
- Samsung: Samsung, with its SmartThings platform, is also a supporter of the Matter standard, enhancing its smart home device compatibility.
Home Automation and Smart Device Manufacturers
- Companies like Amazon, Google, Philips Hue, Yale, Schlage, and others in the smart lighting, security, and home automation sectors are backing Matter, ensuring their products can easily integrate into the Matter ecosystem.
Chipset and Networking Companies
- Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, Silicon Labs, Nordic Semiconductor, Cisco, NXP, and several other companies that provide the underlying hardware and networking technologies are important backers, as they enable the development of Matter-compatible devices.
Home Appliance Manufacturers
- Major appliance manufacturers, including LG and Whirlpool, are also supporting Matter, which could lead to a wider range of smart appliances becoming seamlessly integrated into smart home networks.
Startups and Smaller Companies
- Various startups and smaller companies in the smart home and IoT spaces are embracing Matter, seeing it as a way to ensure compatibility and reach a broader market.
Retailers
- Retailers like Best Buy are supportive, as Matter’s interoperability standard could simplify the purchasing decisions for consumers in the smart home market.
Software and Cloud Service Providers
- Companies providing cloud services and software solutions for IoT and smart home devices are also key supporters, as they play a crucial role in the ecosystem that Matter aims to unify.
Industry Groups and Consortia
- Beyond individual companies, various industry groups and consortia that focus on technology standards and smart home initiatives are backing Matter.
The Matter protocol incorporates several key technologies to ensure interoperability, security, and reliability in smart home devices. Here’s an overview of the primary technologies used by the Matter standard:
Internet Protocol (IP): Matter is built on Internet Protocol (IP), allowing devices to communicate over standard networking technologies. This use of IP ensures broad compatibility with existing home and commercial networks, including Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and cellular networks.
Thread: Thread is a low-power, wireless mesh networking protocol based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, which is particularly useful for connecting battery-powered devices like sensors and smart locks. Thread enables these devices to communicate directly with each other, improving network reliability and extending range through mesh capabilities.
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE): BLE is used primarily for initial device setup and commissioning. It allows smartphones and other devices to easily discover and add Matter-compatible devices to a network.
Wi-Fi: For devices that require higher bandwidth or are typically connected to power, such as smart speakers or cameras, Matter uses Wi-Fi. This allows for the integration of more data-intensive devices into the Matter network without compromising performance.
Application Layer Protocol: Matter introduces a unified application layer protocol that standardizes how devices communicate with each other, regardless of the underlying network technology. This protocol includes a common language and model for devices to interact, ensuring interoperability and consistent user experiences.
Security Protocols: Matter emphasizes strong security features, including secure device onboarding, end-to-end encryption, and regular security updates. This is crucial for protecting user data and preventing unauthorized access to devices.
Cloud Connectivity: While Matter focuses on local connectivity and control, it also supports cloud connectivity. This allows for remote access and control of devices, as well as integration with cloud-based services and ecosystems.
Energy Efficiency Protocols: Matter includes protocols and features designed to optimize energy use, especially for battery-powered devices, extending their operational lifespan and reducing environmental impact.
By leveraging these technologies, Matter aims to create a more seamless, secure, and versatile smart home environment, capable of supporting a wide range of devices and use cases. The choice of these technologies reflects a balance between performance, power efficiency, security, and ease of use, aiming to cater to the diverse needs of smart home users and manufacturers.
Since Matter operates on existing technologies such as Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Thread, numerous existing smart home devices are capable of gaining Matter compatibility through software updates. Manufacturers might achieve this by updating the devices directly or, in certain instances, by upgrading the bridges to which these devices are connected.
The upgrade to Matter support for any given device hinges on two main factors: the technical capacity of the device itself, and the decision of the manufacturer to release such an update.
Various brands have already committed to integrating Matter into their devices. Stay tuned for announcements from both matterReview and your preferred device manufacturers regarding when your devices might become Matter-compatible.
One of Matter’s most significant benefits is that everything connects to a local network via Wi-Fi, Thread, or Ethernet. A local network doesn’t rely on an internet connection to function—something previous Wi-Fi devices required—so your devices will work faster because there’s no need to send data to a cloud server for processing.
Local control also keeps information from Matter-enabled devices more secure and private since an internet connection is unnecessary when you’re home. Your IoT devices connect to the internet only when you access them remotely via a Matter controller.
Matter devices using Wi-Fi and Ethernet don’t require a hub to communicate, but you still need a Matter controller for setup. While “Matter controller” sounds like a hub, it’s simply whatever compatible device you use to set up and control your devices—like a smartphone or smart speaker.
You’ll need a Thread border router if your Matter device uses Thread. This is essentially any Thread device that connects to Wi-Fi and has a continuous power source. (Thread devices using batteries, like sensors and smart locks, stay inactive when they aren’t sending status reports or receiving commands.)
No hard-and-fast rule says a Matter controller and a Thread border router can’t be the same device. The Nest Hub (2nd Gen), Apple HomePod Mini, and Amazon Echo (4th Gen) will all function as both after Matter launches.