If you are interested in smart home technology, you may have heard of Matter, the new smart home standard that promises to make devices from different standards work together. But what is Matter, and why does it matter for you? In this blog post, we will explain what Matter is, how it works, what are its benefits and limitations, and how it will impact the smart home industry.
What is Matter?
Matter is an open-source connectivity standard for smart home and Internet of things devices, which aims to improve their compatibility and security. The standard is royalty-free, though developers and manufacturers incur certification costs. It originated in December 2019 as the Project Connected Home over IP (CHIP) working group, founded by Amazon, Apple, Google and the Zigbee Alliance, now called the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA). Subsequent members include IKEA, Huawei, and Schneider. Version 1.0 of the specification was published on 4 October 2022.
Matter is based on Internet Protocol (IP) and works through one or several compatible border routers, avoiding the use of multiple proprietary hubs. Matter products run locally and do not rely on an internet connection, although the standard is designed to talk to the cloud easily. It is intended to enable cross-platform of smart home devices, mobile apps, and cloud services, and defines a specific set of IP-based networking technologies for device certification.
Matter supports various types of devices, such as lighting products (such as mains power plugs, electric lights and switches), doorlocks, thermostats and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning controllers, blinds and shades, home security sensors (such as door, window and motion sensors), and televisions and streaming video players.
What are the problems with current smart home standards?
The smart home market is currently fragmented by different standards and protocols that are not compatible with each other. This means that consumers have to deal with multiple apps, hubs, voice assistants, and cloud services to control their smart home devices. This creates confusion, frustration, and security risks for consumers who want to enjoy the benefits of smart home technology.
For example, if you want to use a Zigbee light bulb with a Z-Wave door lock and a Wi-Fi thermostat, you will need three different hubs to connect them to your network and your voice assistant. Moreover, you will have to use different apps to control them individually or create routines that involve them. Furthermore, you will have to trust that each device manufacturer will keep their software updated and secure against hackers.
How does Matter address these problems?
Matter aims to solve these problems by providing interoperability between devices from different standards and brands. By using IP as the common language for communication, Matter enables devices to talk directly to each other over Wi-Fi or a newer protocol called Thread. This means that you can use one app or voice assistant to control all your Matter-certified devices without needing multiple hubs or cloud services.
Matter also ensures that devices are secure by design. Matter devices use end-to-end encryption to protect data in transit and at rest. They also use digital certificates to verify their identity and authenticity. Moreover, Matter devices are required to undergo rigorous testing and certification before they can be sold in the market.
What are the benefits of Matter for consumers?
Matter offers several benefits for consumers who want to enjoy a simpler and smarter home. Some of these benefits are:
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Ease of use: Matter devices are easy to set up and control with one app or voice assistant. You can also create scenes and automations that involve multiple devices with a few taps or commands.
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Security: Matter devices are secure by design and use encryption and certificates to protect your data and privacy. You can also manage your device permissions and revoke access at any time.
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Compatibility: Matter devices are compatible with various platforms and services such as Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, IKEA Home Smart App etc.
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Flexibility: Matter devices can communicate over Wi-Fi or Thread depending on your network conditions and preferences. You can also mix and match devices from different brands without worrying about compatibility issues.
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Cost savings: Matter devices do not require multiple hubs or cloud services to work together. This reduces the upfront and ongoing costs of maintaining your smart home system.
Many major companies in the smart home industry have adopted the Matter standard and are developing or updating their products accordingly. Some examples of Matter products are:
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Philips Hue smart bulbs: These popular LED lights can be controlled with voice, app or switch and offer a range of colors and scenes. Philips Hue has announced that its existing products will be compatible with Matter via a software update.
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Google Nest Hub: This smart display can act as a central hub for your smart home devices, as well as a speaker, camera and digital assistant. Google has confirmed that its Nest products will support Matter and work seamlessly with other Matter devices.
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Amazon Echo: This smart speaker can also function as a digital assistant, a music player and a communication device. Amazon has stated that its Echo products will be compatible with Matter and allow users to control their smart home devices with voice commands.
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Apple HomePod mini: This compact speaker can also serve as a digital assistant, a music player and an intercom. Apple has announced that its HomePod mini will support Matter and enable users to integrate their smart home devices with the Home app and Siri.
In this blog post, we have discussed the benefits and challenges of using the Matter protocol, a new standard for smart home devices that aims to improve interoperability, security and user experience. We have also shown some examples of how Matter works and how it can be integrated with existing platforms and services. We hope that this post has given you a better understanding of what Matter is and why it matters for the future of smart home technology. On Smart Home Qatar's website, we will try our best to make devices' supported protocol very clear. Also, as matter rolls out to existing devices we will make sure that our lists are revised constantly and our details are up-to-date.
