Matter is a freely available connectivity standard for smart home and IoT (Internet of Things) devices.[2][3][4] It aims to improve interoperability and compatibility between different manufacturers and security, and always allowing local control as an option.[5][6][7]

Matter
Matter smart home connectivity standard
A picture of the matter logo with the text matter and a logo showing three arrows pointing into the centre with curved and rounded edges.
StatusPublished[1]
Year startedDecember 18, 2019; 5 years ago (2019-12-18)
First publishedOctober 4, 2022; 2 years ago (2022-10-04)
Latest version1.4
7 Nov 2024
Committee
AuthorsThe connectivity standards alliance and open source contributors
Base standardsInternet Protocol (IP)
Related standardsZigbee, Z-Wave, Thread, Wi-Fi, Aliro
Domain
LicenseProprietary, by certification. Code and documentation published under the Apache License.
Websitecsa-iot.org/all-solutions/matter Edit this at Wikidata

Matter originated in December 2019 as the Project Connected Home over IP (or CHIP for short) working group, founded by Amazon, Apple, Google and the Zigbee Alliance, now called the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA).[3][5] Subsequent members include IKEA, Huawei, and Schneider.[8][9] Version 1.0 of the specification was published on 4 October 2022.[1][10][11] The Matter software development kit is open-source under the Apache License.[12]

A software development kit (SDK) is provided royalty-free,[13][14] though the ability to commission a finished product into a Matter network in the field mandates certification and membership fees,[15][16] entailing both one-time, recurring, and per-product costs.[17] This is enforced using a public key infrastructure (PKI) and so-called device attestation certificates.[15]

Matter-compatible software updates for many existing hubs became available in late 2022,[18][19][20] with Matter-enabled devices and software updates starting to release in 2023.[21]

Background

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In December 2019, Amazon, Apple, Google, Samsung SmartThings and the Zigbee Alliance announced the collaboration and formation of the working group of Project Connected Home over IP. The goal of the project is to simplify development for smart home product brands and manufacturers while increasing the compatibility of the products for consumers.[22][23]

The standard operates on Internet Protocol (IP) and functions via one or more controllers that connect and manage devices within your local network, eliminating the need for multiple proprietary hubs. Matter-certified products are engineered to operate locally and do not depend on an internet connection for their core functions.[24] Leveraging IPv6 addressing,[25] the standard facilitates seamless communication with cloud services. Its goal is to facilitate interoperability among smart home devices, mobile apps, and cloud services, employing a specific suite of IP-based networking technologies such as mDNS and IPv6.[26] By adhering to a network design that operates at the Application Layer of the OSI 7 layer model, Matter differs from protocols like Zigbee or Z-Wave and theoretically can function on any IPv6-enabled network. Presently, official support is limited to Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and the wireless mesh network Thread.[27]

Versions

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Updates to the standard are planned to occur biannually.[28]

  • Version 1.0 of the specification was published on 4 October 2022.[29] It introduced support for lighting products (such as mains power plugs, electric lights and switches), door locks, 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.[30]
  • Version 1.1 of the specification was published on 18 May 2023. Although a new version, it did not include any new categories, only bug fixes and enhancements to existing SDK, API and devices.[31]
  • Version 1.2 of the specification was published on 23 October 2023. This version added nine new device types (refrigerators, portable air conditioners, dishwashers, laundry washers, robotic vacuum cleaners, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, air quality sensors, air purifiers, and fans). It also provides revisions and additions to existing categories, improvements to the specification and SDK, and certification and testing tools.[32]
  • Version 1.3 of the specification was published on 8 May 2024. This version added support for water and energy management devices as well as appliance support for ovens, microwave ovens, cooktops, extractor hoods, laundry dryers, and Matter-casting media players. Scenes and command-batching were also added.[33]
  • Version 1.4 of the specification was released on November 7, 2024, introducing an expanded focus on electricity-related areas, including batteries, solar systems, home routers, water heaters, and heat pumps. It also featured enhancements to existing areas, such as increased support for electric vehicle chargers, along with significant improvements to Threads devices. [34]

For future versions, the working group has been working on support for ambient motion and presence sensing, environmental sensing and controls, closure sensors, energy management, Wi-Fi access points, cameras, and major appliances.[28]

Supported devices

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CSA maintains the official list of Matter-certified products,[35] and restricts use of the Matter logo to certified devices. Matter product certification is also stored on the CSA's Distributed Compliance Ledger (DCL),[36] which publishes attestation information about certified devices.

Supported ecosystems and hubs

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Company Platforms Device types Hubs
Product name(s) Thread support included?
Google Android, Wear OS, iOS, iPadOS Bridges, lights, locks, outlets, sensors (contact, flow, humidity, illuminance, motion, occupancy, pressure, & temperature), speakers, thermostats, and window coverings (except tilting)[37] Chromecast with Google TV (4K)[38] No
Google Home speaker[39][40] No
Google Home mini No
Google TV Streamer Yes
Nest Mini No
Nest Audio No
Nest Hub (first-gen) No
Nest Hub (second-gen) Yes
Nest Hub Max Yes
Nest Wifi Pro Yes
Samsung Android, Wear OS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, Windows Bridges, lights, locks, outlets, sensors (contact & motion), televisions, thermostats, and window coverings[41][42] Samsung SmartThings Hub v2[43][44] No
Samsung Family Hub refrigerator (2017 and newer) No
(can be added using external dongle)
Samsung Smart Monitors 2022 models No
Samsung smart TVs 2022 models No
Aeotec SmartThings Smart Home Hub Yes
Samsung SmartThings Station Yes
Samsung SmartThings Hub Dongle Yes
Samsung SmartThings Hub v3 Yes
Samsung Smart TVs CU8000 and CU7000 (2023) Yes
Samsung MicroLED TV MNA89MS1BA (2023) Yes
Samsung Smart Monitor M80C (2023) Yes
Samsung Soundbar HW-Q990C (2023) Yes
Samsung NEO QLED 8k and 4K (2023) Yes
Family Hub refrigerator, model numbers RF29CB9900QKAA (US), RF23CB9900QKAA (US), RF85C9581APW (Korea) Yes
Apple iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS Air conditioners, bridges, lights, locks, outlets, switches, blinds & shades, sensors (motion, ambient light, contact, temperature, and humidity), thermostats, and window coverings[45] Apple HomePod (first-gen) No
Apple HomePod (second-gen) Yes
Apple HomePod Mini Yes
Apple TV 4K (2021 version) Yes
Apple TV 4K Wi-Fi (2022 version) No
Apple TV 4K Wi-Fi + Ethernet (2022 version) Yes
Amazon Android, iOS, iPadOS Lights, locks, outlets, switches, sensors (contact), thermostats, and window coverings[46] Amazon Echo smart speakers, Echo Pop, Echo Dot, and Echo Dot with Clock (third-gen and newer) No
Echo Studio No
Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 8 (second-gen and newer) No
Echo Show 10 (third-gen) No
Echo Input, Flex, and Plus (v2) No
Echo (4th-gen) Yes
Eero Pro 6E, Pro 6, 6 Plus, 6, PoE 6, and PoE Gateway Yes
Echo Show 8 (third-gen) Yes
Eero Max 7 Yes

Benefits

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The primary goal of Matter is to improve interoperability for the current smart home ecosystem. CSA and its members aim for the Matter logo to become ubiquitous and for consumers to instantly recognise it as a smart home device that will "just work".[47]

There are numerous other benefits that Matter brings when compared to the current smart home ecosystem:[citation needed]

  • Local control
  • Multi-admin control
  • More competition among smart home manufacturers
  • Lower technical overhead for IoT device developers

See also

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  • KNX – an open standard (see EN 50090, ISO/IEC 14543) for commercial and residential building automation
  • Thread – low-power mesh protocol designed for battery-powered devices, which Matter uses as one of its supported transport layers
  • Zigbee and Z-Wave – wireless mesh protocols for home automation, can be used with Matter and a compatible bridge
  • Amazon Alexa – Amazon's smart assistant and home control system
  • HomeKit – Apple's smart home system
  • Google Nest – Google's smart home system, formerly called Google Home

References

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  1. ^ a b "V1.0.0 Release". GitHub. 30 September 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  2. ^ "What Is Matter? The New Smart Home Standard, Explained". PCMag. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  3. ^ a b Kastrenakes, Jacob (18 December 2019). "Apple, Google, and Amazon are teaming up to develop a smart home standard". The Verge. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  4. ^ Purdy, Kevin (5 August 2022). "Wemo's confused Smart Dimmer shows how hard standardizing IoT may be". Ars Technica. Condé Nast. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  5. ^ a b "With Amazon, Apple and Google onboard, this new alliance aims to make your smart home work properly". ZDNET. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  6. ^ Hall, Christine (4 October 2022). "Matter's Internet of Things standard, certification ready for developers". TechCrunch. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  7. ^ Seifert, Dan (16 April 2021). "Amazon, Apple, and Google's smart home partnership is close". The Verge. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  8. ^ Mihalcik, Carrie. "Apple, Amazon, Google, and others want to create a new standard for smart home tech". CNET. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  9. ^ Strategy, Moor Insights and. "CHIP Shot: Will Project Connected Home Over IP Get Us Onto The IoT Green?". Forbes. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  10. ^ "Matter 1.0 arrives". Connectivity Standards Alliance. 4 October 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  11. ^ Tuohy, Jennifer Pattison (4 October 2022). "Matter 1.0 is finally finalized — so what's next?". The Verge. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  12. ^ "project-chip/connectedhomeip". Connectivity Standards Alliance. 14 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  13. ^ Hill, Simon (3 April 2022). "What's the Matter? We Explain the New Smart Home Standard". Wired. Condé Nast. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  14. ^ project-chip/connectedhomeip, Connectivity Standards Alliance, 25 June 2024, retrieved 25 June 2024
  15. ^ a b "Device Attestation - latest - Silicon Labs Matter Silicon Labs". docs.silabs.com. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  16. ^ "Certification Process | Why Certify |". CSA-IOT. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  17. ^ "Become a Member | The Future of IOT". CSA-IOT. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  18. ^ "Apple rolls out software updates for matter". 25 October 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  19. ^ "Matter is now available on Google Nest and Android devices". 15 December 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  20. ^ "Amazon announces a phased rollout of Matter to its Alexa smart home platform". 3 November 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  21. ^ "One Brand Dominates the CES Smart Home Conversation This Year". Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  22. ^ Gurman, Mark; De Vynck, Gerrit (18 December 2019). "Apple, Google, Amazon Want One Language for Smart Devices". Bloomberg. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  23. ^ Haselton, Todd (18 December 2019). "Apple, Google and Amazon are cooperating to make your home gadgets talk to each other". CNBC. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  24. ^ "What is Matter?". Google Home Developers. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  25. ^ "Thread and IPv6 | Matter". Google Home Developers. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  26. ^ "Matter Specification - Version 1.2" (PDF). Connectivity Standards Alliance. 18 October 2023.
  27. ^ Matter Network Transport - Connectivity Standards Alliance. Retrieved 22 April 2024 – via www.youtube.com.
  28. ^ a b Matter, the new Global Standard for the Smart Home, Debuts at the Amsterdam Launch Event, 3 November 2022, retrieved 19 November 2022
  29. ^ "Newsroom | Articles & Blogs | IOT". CSA-IOT. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  30. ^ "The Matter Smart Home Standard Is Finally Available: Here's What It Means for Your Home". Consumer Reports. 3 November 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  31. ^ "Matter 1.1 release — Enhancements for developers and devices". CSA-IOT. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  32. ^ "Matter 1.2 Arrives with Nine New Device Types & Improvements Across the Board". Connectivity Standards Alliance. 23 October 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  33. ^ "Matter 1.3 Specification announced". Connectivity Standards Alliance. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  34. ^ Gomes, Vitor (7 November 2024). "Matter 1.4 chega com suporte a Energia Solar e promessas de economia de energia elétrica". PontoBYTE (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  35. ^ "Certified Products Search". Connectivity Standards Alliance. 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  36. ^ "Distributed Compliance Ledger". webui.dcl.csa-iot.org. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  37. ^ "Supported devices | Matter". Google Home Developers. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  38. ^ "Google TV Streamer (4K)". Google Store. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  39. ^ "Matter is now available on Google Nest and Android devices". Google. 15 December 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  40. ^ "Google devices with Matter - Android - Google Nest Help". support.google.com. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  41. ^ "Home API Reference | Developer Documentation | SmartThings". developer.smartthings.com. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  42. ^ "Unlocking Seamless Connectivity: SmartThings Offers Support for Third-Party Matter Bridges". SmartThings Blog. 5 October 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  43. ^ Tuohy, Jennifer Pattison (27 January 2023). "All the smart home products that work with Matter". The Verge. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  44. ^ "Smart Home Hub - Hub Everywhere | SmartThings". Smart Home Hub - Hub Everywhere | SmartThings. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  45. ^ "Pair and manage your Matter accessories". Apple Support. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  46. ^ "Understand Smart Home Matter Support | Alexa Skills Kit". Amazon Alexa. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  47. ^ Connectivity Standards Alliance (3 November 2022). Matter: Making the smart home a more connected, comfortable, and helpful place. Retrieved 22 April 2024 – via YouTube.

Further reading

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  NODES
admin 1
INTERN 6
Note 1
Project 7