Formerly known as Project CHIP, Matter is a new smart home standard backed by Apple and others.
One unfortunate thing about today's smart home landscape is that not every smart home accessory talks to every other device. With different platforms, standards, manufacturers, and ecosystems, the smart home space is a bit of a mess. That's what Matter is designed to resolve.
Whether you're a veteran smart home enthusiast or just starting to get into HomeKit, you may have come across the term Matter in recent months. But what exactly is it? Here's everything you need to know about the Matter smart home standard.
What is Matter?
Matter, formerly know as Project Connected Home over IP (CHIP), is a smart home connectivity standard. The new protocol is backed by Apple, Google, Amazon, and some other big names in the Connectivity Standards Alliance to increase interoperability between smart home devices across platforms.
"This industry–unifying standard is a promise of reliable, secure connectivity—a seal of approval that devices will work seamlessly together, today and tomorrow."
In theory, Matter would mean that popular devices from big-name brands like Ring Video Doorbells and Nest Smart Thermostats would work just as well with your Apple gear as the best HomeKit accessories do today.
How does Matter work?
Matter is built upon Internet Protocol (IP) and will use existing networking technologies in an attempt to unify smart home platforms. That means Matter-certified devices will be using standard stuff like Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE, and Thread to connect to your network and each other. As both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technology advance, Matter will probably continue to incorporate new standards.
Manufacturers adopting Matter will be able to make their products compatible with Apple's HomeKit, Amazon's Alexa, and Google's Assistant services easily without needing to support multiple protocols in parallel. As a user, the Matter logo will give you confidence that the product will work with your smart home, regardless of your ecosystem of choice.
Will Matter work with HomeKit?
Yes. Since Apple is a member of the Connectivity Standards Alliance, Matter devices will work within the Home app and with Siri alongside standard HomeKit-enabled devices. Support for Matter is built into iOS 15, and developers can already begin adding support to their smart home apps.
When will we see products that work with Matter?
The Connectivity Standards Alliance has announced that it expects to see the first devices through certification in late 2021. Those devices are likely to fall into categories like lightning, electrical, HVAC, security, and more.
There's no exact timeline yet, but we expect it won't be long until we see the first Matter-approved devices on store shelves.
Will Matter work with older smart home devices?
The transition details aren't super clear right now, but, ultimately, whether or not your existing smart home devices gain Matter support will depend on the manufacturers and the specs of the individual products.
Since Matter works with existing tech standards like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE, it's possible that a firmware update could be issued to devices to push out support for Matter. Devices released in the last few years probably have modern enough components to meet Matter's requirements, but we'll have to wait and see what existing products gain official support.
We've heard from a few manufacturers like Philips Hue, Yale, and Google's Nest brand that they will add Matter support to existing devices, so there is a cause for optimism. That being said, it's also possible that device makers will want to withhold Matter support from old devices to prompt new purchases.
How does Matter work with Thread?
Thread is another hot buzzword in the smart home space right now. Thread is a mesh networking protocol that is built into newer smart home accessories like the HomePod mini and allows for more streamlined inter-device communication for speedier response times and a more reliable experience.
Thread will be one of many networking technologies that Matter will be built on top of, in addition to the likes of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE, and Ethernet. It's not essential for Matter certification, though we're likely to see more devices adopt Thread over time regardless.
Any questions?
Do you still have questions about Matter? Let us know in the comments down below.
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