What Are Matter Residences?
If you’ve been following smart home tech, you’ve probably heard of matter residences. These are a new set of standards that make it easier to control smart accessories from different ecosystems and across platforms.
Essentially, matter is an industry standard that creates a communication network that works over Wi-Fi or ethernet and uses existing protocols like Zigbee and Thread to connect devices. It aims to be compatible with all major smart home systems (including Apple HomeKit and Home Assistant), as well as Samsung SmartThings appliances and TVs.
Matter controllers are a key part of any device network, and it’s possible to upgrade your current device to be a matter controller as well. A matter controller is a smart speaker or hub that serves as the “brains” of your device network, managing communications between devices and allowing remote access to your home when enabled. A Matter controller must be always in your home, always powered and connected to your wireless network via Wi-Fi or ethernet. The CSA has certified a few devices as matter controllers, including the Apple HomePod Mini and 2nd-gen and Amazon Echo, Google Nest Hub speakers and displays, and Samsung SmartThings Hub refrigerators and TVs.
The CSA says most of its current partners will be updating their devices with Matter compatibility over the next few months. For example, the upcoming firmware update for Nanoleaf’s Shapes and Elements smart bulbs will add Matter support, as will eWelink’s Coolkit lineup. The CSA also plans to enable Matter in the Philips Hue Bridge and Signify’s Zigbee-based lighting products. And chipmaker Nordic has a multiprotocol system-on-chip that supports Matter. matter residences