matte
Smart home makes home technology easier, more practical and intelligent. However, barriers can be encountered when adapting appropriate systems, especially when configuring different vendors. For them, there is now a ray of hope: matter, the upcoming system standard that will make smart homes universally connectable and thus smarter than ever.
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What is duller?
matter is the result of a joint initiative by global technology companies, including Amazon, Google, Apple and the Connectivity Standards Alliance(CSA, formerly Zigbee Alliance). At Consumer Technology Association 2022(CES), a global technology trade show, matter was announced by the CSA. There are nearly 2000 software experts and engineers working to develop matter as a unifying application system and standard. All with one goal in mind: to make smart homes more user-centric than ever. Because matter offers to connect compatible devices from any provider.
As an IP-based system, matter is also independent and supported by Thread wireless network technology and blockchain technologies. matter is an overlying system on existing IP technologies and operates locally, it can therefore function without the Internet and cloud, an important step for data security and privacy.
How will the matte devices work?
matter will need Wi-Fi access points and a controller e.g. a tablet or smartphone. This can also be an existing thread border router, e.g. Amazon Echo or HomePod Mini.
Compatible with matte will be devices that are matte certified, which will be recognizable by a logo on appropriate equipment. One, but really only one, corresponding app has to be set up on the controller for control. And already all matt products can be imported!
Who's in?
What makes matter special is that the majority of vendors in the smart home market are on board (full list here). In the future, it will no longer matter whether Siri or Alexa is recognized there with matter the command.
With matter and so-called ‘open source’ connectivity, smart homes will soon be easier than ever. Devices can thus make use of various technologies, whether Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or Ethernet, to pair with other smart home devices.
Google Assistant would be controlled with Apple iPhone, Philips Signify gadgets could be controlled with Amazon Echo, etc. No more need to research specific smart home products, exclude certain devices due to exclusive connections, not even download extra apps. In the future, matter is enough for all smart home products at once.
The efficient future of smart home
Enabling communication beyond company-specific devices does one thing above all for customers: Everything easier and more practical. Just what smart home is supposed to be at its core. Although not everything has been set in stone yet, we at SIRO are optimistic that smart homes will be smarter and smoother than ever, and are already preparing for the appropriate transition.
There are no matte products on the market yet, but vendors have already specified which products are likely to be compatible in each case. We’ll stay tuned and listen for the latest developments – expect more news about matter in the near future!
Further links/sources
- https://www.cnet.com/home/smart-home/dozens-of-brands-pledge-support-for-matter-at-ces-2022/
- https://csa-iot.org/all-solutions/matter/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CHOSFXKGH4
- https://www.theverge.com/22787729/matter-smart-home-standard-apple-amazon-google
- https://matter-smarthome.de/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_Ze-PYfgcM
