6 – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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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.

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
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
The first Matter smart switches are finally here.

Tapo’s new Smart Wi-Fi Switch and Dimmer work with any Matter-enabled platform, including Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home, and SmartThings.

I’m excited about these. Switches are a great way to get started with smart lighting, but the few there are that work with all the platforms are expensive. These start at $25.

Check out our list of all the Matter devices available (and announced).

TP-Link’s Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Light Switch ($25) and Smart Wi-Fi Dimmer Light Switch ($28) go on sale today at Amazon and Best Buy.
TP-Link’s Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Light Switch ($25) and Smart Wi-Fi Dimmer Light Switch ($28) go on sale today at Amazon and Best Buy.
Image: TP-Link
Siri gets a bit smarter, but Apple Home is still lagging behindSiri gets a bit smarter, but Apple Home is still lagging behind
How to pick a smart home platform

One connected lock does not a smart home make. If you want to get serious with home automation, start with a smart home platform.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
You can finally buy a Matter smart lockYou can finally buy a Matter smart lock
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Google Home’s iOS app now lets you set up Matter devices.

The update began rolling out on May 26th, according to Google. I got it this weekend, and you need iOS 16.5. and version 3.1 of the Google Home app.

With this update, all four major smart home platforms now work fully with Matter on iOS. This should make it easier to deliver on Matter’s promise of cross-platform compatibility.

The new Google Home app is finally here

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Amazon Echo Pop review: more style, less substance

As the latest entry-level Alexa smart speaker, the $40 Echo Pop packs a lot of value into a small package. It’s not as good as the Echo Dot, but it’s got looks on its side.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Samsung’s new $5,000 32-inch tablet comes with a fridge attachedSamsung’s new $5,000 32-inch tablet comes with a fridge attached
Matter makes Govee’s new light strip more functional but less fun

The M1 LED light strip is bright, colorful, and compatible with everything, thanks to Matter. But its flashiest features are only in Govee’s app.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Nathan Edwards
Nathan Edwards
I regret to inform you that Matter is still a pain in the butt.

I just picked up a three-pack of Nanoleaf’s new Matter bulbs. They’re brighter and have better colors than the ancient Hue bulbs they’re replacing, but boy howdy. Adding them to Apple Home takes two or three tries; getting them onto Google Home requires a second phone. I’m half an hour into trying to connect the second bulb.

Nanoleaf’s new Matter light bulbs are an essential part of the smart home

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Matter 1.1 is here, and it’s not excitingMatter 1.1 is here, and it’s not exciting
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Eve’s new Flare lamp is the first battery-powered Thread lightEve’s new Flare lamp is the first battery-powered Thread light
The new Google Home app is finally here

A much-needed update brings greater control and customizability. Plus, Google updates its iOS app to support Matter devices.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Amazon’s latest Matter update brings support for ThreadAmazon’s latest Matter update brings support for Thread
Nanoleaf’s new Matter light bulbs are an essential part of the smart home

The first Matter-over-Thread smart lighting line, Nanoleaf’s new lights promise a lot and mostly deliver.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
WiZ’s inexpensive smart lights now work with Apple Home thanks to MatterWiZ’s inexpensive smart lights now work with Apple Home thanks to Matter
The Nest Thermostat is getting Matter support starting todayThe Nest Thermostat is getting Matter support starting today
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Well, at least someone’s sticking to their Matter promises.

Smart home company Eve’s first out-of-the-box Matter-ready device is now available, as promised at CES. The Eve Energy with Matter smart plug is available today for $39.95, and the Eve Motion and Eve Door & Window sensors arrive on April 17th.

If you already have Eve products and didn’t indulge in Eve’s Early Access program, an optional firmware update is coming then, too. If you did gamble on the Beta, you’ll get a firmware update through Apple Home’s new over-the-air Matter update feature in iOS 16.4.

Eve’s Android app is still MIA, but Android users can onboard these Thread / Matter Eve devices using the Samsung SmartThings or Google Home apps.

Here’s what it’s like to use the first Matter devices in the real world

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Philips Hue is delaying its Matter updatePhilips Hue is delaying its Matter update
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Belkin’s backpedal exposes Matter’s inherent tensionBelkin’s backpedal exposes Matter’s inherent tension
Nanoleaf’s first Matter lights are up for preorderNanoleaf’s first Matter lights are up for preorder
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Rejoice! Tiny robots now work with Matter.

SwitchBot, the makers of robotic devices that can press switches, turn locks, and open curtains, launched its Matter-enabled hub today.

The SwitchBot Hub 2 ($69) is now available for pre-order and makes its curtain and blind controllers compatible with Matter. This brings Apple Home integration to these devices, as well as to the hub’s built-in temperature, humidity, and light sensors. I’ve been testing the Hub 2 and will have a full review soon.

SwitchBot’s new hub will support Matter

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Belkin’s smart home brand Wemo is backing away from MatterBelkin’s smart home brand Wemo is backing away from Matter
The CSA is addressing smart home data privacy, and it’s about damn timeThe CSA is addressing smart home data privacy, and it’s about damn time
Ikea’s new air quality monitor lets you keep an eye on pollutants in your homeIkea’s new air quality monitor lets you keep an eye on pollutants in your home
TP-Link’s new smart plug exposes a complicated Matter

The TP-Link Tapo is a perfectly good smart plug that’s among the first to work with Matter. It’s fast and easy to use with Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, or SmartThings. But when it comes to sharing it all starts to fall apart.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
The group behind Matter is tackling healthcare nextThe group behind Matter is tackling healthcare next
Samsung’s SmartThings Station is a smart home hub worth plugging in

The newest SmartThings hub can also charge your smartphone and find your keys — plus it’s a Matter controller and Thread border router. But there’s no support for Z-Wave, and too many features are only for Galaxy phones.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Aqara’s affordable smart home lineup makes first jump to MatterAqara’s affordable smart home lineup makes first jump to Matter
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
TP-Link made its first Matter device available today for $19.99 through Amazon.

The Tapo P125M Mini Smart Plug is one of just two Matter-enabled smart plugs you can buy. The other is from Meross. (Eve’s option requires an OTA update). But judging by recent announcements, we shouldn’t have to wait too long for more Matter stuff.

The new plug will work with Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings through Matter, as well as TP-Link’s Tapo app.

TP-Link’s Tapo P125 is one of the first Matter-enabled smart plugs you can buy.
TP-Link’s Tapo P125 is one of the first Matter-enabled smart plugs you can buy.
Image: TP-Link
What matters about Matter, the new smart home protocol

Why is Matter such a big deal, and when can you actually use it?

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Why Matter mattered at CES

We round up all the new product announcements and look at what’s next for Matter as companies start to monetize this newfound interoperability.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jess Weatherbed
Jess Weatherbed
Samsung makes it easy to set up Matter devices.

Version 11.1.08.07 of Samsung’s Nearby Device Scanning adds a new ‘Matter EasyPair’ feature (seen via Sammobile), which automatically alerts Galaxy users to nearby Matter-compatible devices for a speedier connection, similar to Fast Pair on Android.

The update has started rolling out to some users via the Galaxy Store.

The Verge Awards at CES 2023

At a show of wild concepts and far-out tech, this year’s best gadgets got real.

Verge Staff
Aqara is bringing a HomeKit Secure Video doorbell and Home Key smart lock to the USAqara is bringing a HomeKit Secure Video doorbell and Home Key smart lock to the US
Amazon is adding Matter-over-Thread support this spring and will fix a major smart home annoyanceAmazon is adding Matter-over-Thread support this spring and will fix a major smart home annoyance
Samsung’s new smart home hub is hidden inside a wireless chargerSamsung’s new smart home hub is hidden inside a wireless charger

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