Since its initial launch in 2022, Matter has led the charge on making smart homes smarter – allowing devices from different manufacturers and ecosystems, like Apple Home and Amazon Alexa, to communicate seamlessly. The open-source, IP-based protocol has become a key player in the push for device interoperability, aiming to create a reliable user experience regardless of device ecosystems or providers.
Developed and backed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) and major industry players, including Apple, Amazon, Google, and Samsung, Matter has seen some exciting developments within the past year that further refine and expand its capabilities – culminating in the rollout of Matter 1.4.
Introducing Matter 1.4
In the last two years, Matter has evolved rapidly, with the Matter 1.1 update enhancing device support, Matter 1.2 broadening compatibility across platforms, and Matter 1.3 showcasing new energy reporting capabilities. Its latest update, Matter 1.4, pushes smart home integration even further, setting a new standard for interoperability, energy management, and security in connected homes. Matter 1.4, released by the CSA in November 2024, is transforming the smart home experience by supporting more home appliances, upgraded energy management, and even water monitoring devices.
New supported appliances include solar panels, batteries, heat pumps, and water heaters. These additions, along with improvements to energy management and thermostat clusters, facilitate smarter, more automated energy management within the home. For instance, electric water heaters can now be set to a preset temperature, allowing users to monitor hot water levels and adjust heating patterns.
The Matter 1.4 update also includes new device types, including mounted on/off and dimmable load control devices, designed for fixed in-wall smart home devices like in-wall switches controlling lights and fans. Enhancements to occupancy sensing now support features like radar, vision, and ambient sensing technologies, offering customizable sensitivity settings and improved sensor reporting. Also, core enhancements optimize battery life and communication for intermittently connected devices, such as switches, buttons, and sensors, through protocols like Long Idle Time (LIT) and a new Check-In Protocol.
Addressing ongoing developer challenges
Although the latest Matter update supports more device types, the standard still faces some adoption challenges. The availability of Matter-compatible products is rolling out gradually; many devices are still transitioning from Matter 1.2 compatibility, and Matter 1.3 devices are not yet widely accessible, meaning consumers may need to wait as manufacturers work to release compliant devices. Resources like Silicon Labs’ Matter Developer Journey have helped developers along each project stage, including guiding developers along the path of key Ecosystem providers compatible with Matter.
Building upon Matter’s vision of interoperability, Matter 1.4 introduces the Enhanced Multi-Admin feature, which allows users to connect Matter devices to multiple smart home systems more efficiently. This update streamlines the process by enabling single-user consent for connecting existing and new devices across various ecosystems, reducing the complexity of managing multiple platforms.
This Matter 1.4 update is a key step forward for the standard. It promotes greater interoperability among smart home systems, enabling users to control their devices through various interfaces, such as an Echo Hub or Google Home smart display. Streamlining device integration enhances multi-admin to a more cohesive and user-friendly smart home experience.
Looking forward
Matter continues to advance toward a more unified, user-friendly smart home experience, with support for a growing range of devices and new features like enhanced energy management. These advancements bring smart home technology closer to seamless integration, with the rollout of Matter-compatible devices and software updates progressing steadily across platforms. Each update strengthens Matter’s foundation, paving the way for increasingly unified smart home solutions.
About the Author
Rob Alexander is the Principal Product Manager for Matter at Silicon Labs and has worked on IoT devices, wireless protocols, and embedded devices for more than 15 years. Previously, he worked as a Principal Architect at Silicon Labs collaborating with various embedded software teams, customers, and partners, to integrate wireless stacks and applications into the company’s hardware and software. Since 2013, Rob has served as the Chair of the Zigbee Pro Core Workgroup and on the CSA Board of Directors and Thread Group Board of Directors.
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