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Matter

Matter is a new standard that aims to fix the smart home’s biggest problems: interoperability, reliability, security, and being easy to use. With Matter, your smart lights, smart lock, smart thermostat, and other smart devices will all work with together, easily. All the major smart home platforms are on board — Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings — and so are almost all the big device brands, from Philips Hue and Lutron Caseta to August, Ikea, and TP-Link. If you see the Matter logo on a product, you know it will work with any other Matter-compatible gadget in your home.

Ikea debuts a trio of affordable smart home sensorsIkea debuts a trio of affordable smart home sensors
Thomas Ricker
Thomas Ricker
Ikea support for Matter smart homes still delayed.

Despite being just “a couple of months away” over a year ago, Ikea’s Dirigera hub still can’t bridge the company’s smart home gear to Matter. Here’s the latest statement... on the matter:

We want to make sure our products meet the highest quality standards and have therefore decided to delay this functionality for some time. We simply need more development time to secure good functionality. We will provide more information when it’s time.

At least we’ve got three new affordable sensors coming.

The best Cyber Monday deals on smart home gearThe best Cyber Monday deals on smart home gear
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
This smart lock is the first with Matter-over-Thread baked inThis smart lock is the first with Matter-over-Thread baked in
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
The first robot vacuum to promise Matter support arrives.

SwitchBot’s K10 Plus is one of the smallest robot vacuums you can buy and the first to come with the promise of support for Matter. The company says it will be compatible with the new standard by the end of January through the SwitchBot Hub 2.

Launching today, the K10 Plus costs $499.99 with a special launch price of $399.99. It can also mop, has 2500Pa of suction, and comes with a teeny, tiny auto-empty/charging station.

I saw it in person at the IFA tech show in Berlin, along with SwitchBot’s more advanced S10 robot vac, and loved its compact size, which can get into tight spaces better than most full-sized bots. I’ve been testing it and will have a review soon.

We may earn affiliate revenue if you buy something from one of these links.

The Switchbot K10 Plus is a compact robot vacuum that will support Matter.
The Switchbot K10 Plus is a compact robot vacuum that will support Matter.
Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
Aliro could unlock a new future for smart locks and digital keysAliro could unlock a new future for smart locks and digital keys
Ikea launches its first smart LED strip at the right priceIkea launches its first smart LED strip at the right price
This smart garage door controller is no longer very smartThis smart garage door controller is no longer very smart
The Echo Show 8 is still the smart display to beat

8

Verge Score

Souped-up sound, widgets, and a Thread radio make for a good (but not showy) upgrade to Amazon’s best smart speaker with a screen.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
How to connect a Nest Thermostat to Apple Home through MatterHow to connect a Nest Thermostat to Apple Home through Matter
The best smart plugs

These misleadingly simple gadgets are some of the most useful smart devices you can have in your home.

Megan Wollerton
After promising support for Matter and Thread, Level launches a Wi-Fi bridge insteadAfter promising support for Matter and Thread, Level launches a Wi-Fi bridge instead
Matter 1.2 is a big move for the smart home standard

One year in, and Matter is adding support for fridges, robot vacuums, smoke alarms, and more.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Samsung just turned its soundbar into a SmartThings hubSamsung just turned its soundbar into a SmartThings hub
Nanoleaf’s latest smart lights bring the holiday cheerNanoleaf’s latest smart lights bring the holiday cheer
Yale’s new smart locks work with your fingerprint or HomeKey, but not bothYale’s new smart locks work with your fingerprint or HomeKey, but not both
Nathan Edwards
Nathan Edwards
Philips Hue now (finally) works with Matter.

As promised, Signify has updated its Philips Hue Bridges with Matter support. Surprise! You can check by opening the Hue app and going to Settings > Smart Home, then add an integration. Tap “Other apps” and you should see a big Matter logo. Have fun! Oh, and if you already have Hue working through HomeKit and you like Adaptive Lighting, don’t switch to Matter on Apple Home.

Philips Hue and Matter

[Philips Hue US]

Here’s why Apple put a Thread radio in the iPhone 15 ProHere’s why Apple put a Thread radio in the iPhone 15 Pro
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are the first smartphones with ThreadThe iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are the first smartphones with Thread
This new button lets you twist your smart home into submissionThis new button lets you twist your smart home into submission
Philips Hue’s two-bulb starter kit is on sale with a Hue Bridge for $40 offPhilips Hue’s two-bulb starter kit is on sale with a Hue Bridge for $40 off
Lutron finally made its smart remote look just like a regular light switchLutron finally made its smart remote look just like a regular light switch
Amazon just added support for bridges, but Matter is still in a bind

Bridging older smart home gadgets into Matter is finally fully supported, and cameras are on the horizon, but the new smart home standard still has plenty of unfulfilled promises.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
The Eve Play brings AirPlay 2 audio to your Hi-Fi gear this NovemberThe Eve Play brings AirPlay 2 audio to your Hi-Fi gear this November
Alexa and Google Assistant are together at last on new JBL speakers

Three new JBL smart speakers from Harman will be the first to offer simultaneous voice assistants, so you can ask Alexa to start the music and then ask Google to stop it.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
What’s the Matter with the smart home?What’s the Matter with the smart home?
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Brilliant’s new smart home controller makes it easier to put a touchscreen on your wall

7

Verge Score

The new plug-in version of Brilliant’s wired smart switch is simpler to install and just as easy to use. But still-limited integrations keep it from being truly brilliant.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Here’s the first outdoor smart plug to work with MatterHere’s the first outdoor smart plug to work with Matter
SwitchBot says its new smart curtain controller is stronger and quieterSwitchBot says its new smart curtain controller is stronger and quieter
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
There’s a new Z-Wave chipmaker in town.

This is big news for the smart home protocol many thought may fade away with the advent of Matter.

Trident IoT is a boutique silicon engineering firm / one-stop shop for smart home device makers. It plans to provide silicon solutions and engineering expertise for all the protocols, plus help with those arduous Works With certifications.

But it’s kicking off with Z-Wave and will be the first third-party chipmaker to offer Z-Wave sillicon since the protocol opened its source code last year. Read Stacey Higginbotham’s analysis for more on why this ... matters.

Z-Wave gets a boost with new chip provider - Stacey on IoT | Internet of Things news and analysis

[Stacey on IoT | Internet of Things news and analysis]

Aqara’s new Zigbee light strip supports HomeKit Adaptive Lighting and MatterAqara’s new Zigbee light strip supports HomeKit Adaptive Lighting and Matter
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
If you want your new smart home gadget to “just work,” read this first.

I still have hope for Matter, but right now setting up a Matter-compatible device can be complicated and confusing.

Especially if it uses Thread, which has specific requirements you need to know in order to use that new smart light bulb, motion sensor, or smart plug. Here’s everything you need to know to set up a Matter-over-Thread device in your smart home.

How to set up a Matter-over-Thread device in your smart home

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
How to set up a Matter-over-Thread device in your smart homeHow to set up a Matter-over-Thread device in your smart home
Why Thread is Matter’s biggest problem right now

The Thread protocol offers a robust mesh network designed to solve many of the smart home’s biggest problems. But only if everyone can agree on how to use it.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Roborock has joined the CSA — does this mean robot vacuums will soon be a part of Matter?

Probably not.

While the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) has repeatedly said robot vacuums will be part of the smart home standard, based on the slow progress of Matter, I’d say we’re still a ways out.

Garage door controller manufacturer Remsol (iSmartGate), coffee machine maker Keurig, and Loxone (an intriguing Austrian home automation company) also joined, according to the CSA, which now has 620 member companies.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
I’ve found the most expensive Matter controller / Thread border router you can buy.

And it comes with an 85-inch 8K TV attached!

The $8,000 Samsung Neo QLED 8K TV is a Matter Controller, Samsung SmartThings hub, and Thread Border Router, thanks to a new Thread/Zigbee module on board. And it’s also a sweet TV.

It does make some of the $500 Matter/Thread hubs popping up look like quite the bargain, but I bet they can’t stream Netflix in the same cinematic glory.

Note: If you buy something from these links, Vox Media might get affiliate revenue.

**85" Class Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900C**

[Samsung Electronics America]

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Homey’s $400 smart home hub promises to connect all your gadgets.

Dutch smart home company Athom is finally bringing its Homey Pro to the US.

The Pro works with all the things... thanks to Matter support and a plethora of smart home radios (Wi-Fi, BLE 5.0, Zigbee 3.0 and Z-Wave, 433MHz RF, and IR). No Thread yet — that’s slated for later this year.

The Pro also connects to bridges such as Hue, and Lutron, to get all your gadgets on one platform. For a premium price.

Homey Pro begins shipping globally

[homey.app]

Leviton updates some smart switches with MatterLeviton updates some smart switches with Matter
Nathan Edwards
Nathan Edwards
Mui’s “calm” smart home platform is now Matter-certified, but just the software part.

The press release mentions licensing the tech out so other companies can build calm smart home controllers, which might represent a change in strategy. The mui Board gen 2 was supposed to go on Kickstarter in June, but now seems to be coming next year. Hardware is hard; hardwood hardware might be harder. I’ve reached out to Mui for clarification.

Mui Lab’s ‘mui Platform’ Secures Matter Certification, a First in Japan for a Smart Home Controller

[mui Lab]

Nanoleaf designed its latest smart lights to amplify entertainmentNanoleaf designed its latest smart lights to amplify entertainment

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