In the world of smart homes, Matter has been making headlines as the potential game-changer for compatibility issues. But what exactly is Matter, and how will it impact your smart home experience? In this blog post, we'll provide a comprehensive overview of Matter, its advantages, device support, and whether you should wait before purchasing new smart home devices.
Table of Content:
- What is Matter in smart home?
- How does Matter work?
- What's happening with Matter in 2023?
- Should you wait to buy Matter devices?
- The future of smart home with Matter.
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Understanding Matter: Streamlining Your Smart Home Experience
Matter is a standardized protocol designed to simplify how your smart home devices work together. By establishing a compatibility layer, Matter enables devices to seamlessly integrate across different smart home platforms, such as Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa. It eliminates the need for manufacturers to develop devices for specific platforms, making it easier for users to choose devices that suit their preferences.
Advantages of Matter for Your Smart Home
1. Local Operation
Matter allows devices to operate locally, reducing reliance on cloud servers. This ensures that even if a company discontinues its services, your Matter-enabled devices will continue to function seamlessly. Voice commands from Amazon will also work locally with Matter, reducing dependence on a specific smart home company's cloud server or app.
2. Simplified Device Setup
With Matter, setting up smart home devices becomes a breeze. By scanning a Matter QR code with your phone, you can quickly connect or commission the device using Bluetooth. This streamlined setup eliminates the need for multiple smart home apps and simplifies the overall installation process.
3. Enhanced Compatibility
When you see a smart device that supports Matter, you can be confident that it will integrate seamlessly into your existing smart home system. Matter ensures compatibility across different brands and devices, making it easier for users to select devices that meet their requirements.
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Latest news on Matter
Belkin and WeMo, prominent smart home device manufacturers, have officially announced that they will be discontinuing support for Matter and Thread across their entire product line. This is a significant event for Matter, which aims to unify global smart home devices under one system. While the exact reasons behind their decision have not been officially disclosed, there is speculation that it restricts brands from innovating as they are limited to features supported within the ecosystem. This lack of differentiation can harm their businesses. Although Matter theoretically benefits users by providing a comprehensive ecosystem, the withdrawal of companies diminishes its value as a supportive system. Perhaps Matter will find solutions to address this problem, but for now, it was somewhat anticipated that companies would break away, devaluing Matter as an ecosystem. It may not fulfill its intended role as a savior of the smart home industry. Nonetheless, we will observe how this situation unfolds, and Matter might present some solutions in the future.
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Matter and Your Existing Devices
The release of Matter will not render your current smart home devices obsolete. Your devices will continue to function as they do now. Furthermore, manufacturers are committed to providing firmware updates to ensure Matter support for their existing devices. This commitment ensures that you won't need to stress about upgrading your devices to enjoy the benefits of Matter.
Should You Wait to Buy Matter Devices?
If you're planning to start your smart home journey, you might wonder if it's worth waiting for Matter devices. While Matter's initial release may not support all device types, and uncertainties about company support exist, if you're considering purchasing devices that will soon be Matter-compatible, it might be worth the wait. However, the decision to wait or buy now ultimately depends on your personal preferences and requirements. If there are already devices available that meet your requirements and are compatible with your existing setup, there may be no need to wait for Matter support.
The Future of Your Smart Home with Matter
While Matter has generated considerable hype, the overall smart home experience will remain largely unchanged. Existing smart speakers and hubs from popular brands like Amazon, Google, SmartThings, HomeKit, or Home Assistant will receive updates to seamlessly integrate with new and existing Matter devices. You'll continue to use the same app to control your devices and automations, ensuring a familiar user experience.
The adoption of the Thread protocol by Matter brings additional benefits, as Thread utilizes low-power connectivity to create a reliable mesh network among devices. This enhances stability and performance, particularly for sensors. Matter's utilization of a border router, similar to a hub, further improves reliability by allowing multiple routers in the network.
Conclusion
Matter holds great promise in simplifying smart home compatibility and accessibility. By establishing a standardized protocol, it aims to streamline device development and expand compatibility options for users. While it may not be a revolutionary game-changer for everyone, Matter simplifies the smart home experience for those seeking a more accessible ecosystem. If you've already found suitable devices that meet your requirements, there may be no need to wait for Matter support. Nonetheless, it's worth keeping an eye on Matter's progress and future developments in the smart home industry.
