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
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
SwitchBot’s new hub will support MatterSwitchBot’s new hub will support Matter
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Nanoleaf’s new light switches will learn when you need them

Nanoleaf launches smarter than average smart switches and a stunning new skylight ceiling fixture and confirms its lighting panels will be upgraded to support Matter.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Nanoleaf’s new lighting kits sync up with the action on your TVNanoleaf’s new lighting kits sync up with the action on your TV
GE Lighting launches new ‘Dynamic Effects’ Cync bulbs, panels, and light stripsGE Lighting launches new ‘Dynamic Effects’ Cync bulbs, panels, and light strips
All I want for 2023 are new smart home interfacesAll I want for 2023 are new smart home interfaces
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Aqara delays Matter transition until JanuaryAqara delays Matter transition until January
You’ll soon be able to talk to Home Assistant without Google, Siri, or AlexaYou’ll soon be able to talk to Home Assistant without Google, Siri, or Alexa
Here’s what it’s like to use the first Matter devices in the real world

I upgraded an Eve Energy smart plug and Eve motion and contact sensors to Matter and controlled them simultaneously in Google Home, Apple Home, and Samsung SmartThings. But I needed two phones and two days to get it all working.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Seventeen Amazon Echo devices are now compatible with MatterSeventeen Amazon Echo devices are now compatible with Matter
Google Nest and Android devices are now Matter compatible — yes, right nowGoogle Nest and Android devices are now Matter compatible — yes, right now
Nilay Patel
Nilay Patel
Reminder that the best way to clear up HomeKit issues is signing your Apple TV out of iCloud and back in again.

iOS 16.2 is out now with support for Matter (and the first Matter devices updates have arrived) so a reminder that the simplest HomeKit bugfix if things go sideways is to sign whatever Apple TV (or HomePod) serves as your home hub out of iCloud, restart it, and sign in again to download a fresh HomeKit config. This fixed all my broken automations over the weekend!

Matter finally arrives on devices you can actually useMatter finally arrives on devices you can actually use
The best Cyber Monday deals on smart home techThe best Cyber Monday deals on smart home tech
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Nathan Edwards
Nathan Edwards
I’m not buying another damn smart bulb, lock, or plug until I know it’ll support Matter.

That’s why I’m psyched that The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy has updated her Matter explainer with a comprehensive list of every device that’ll be updated to support Matter, plus every upcoming device we know about. Don’t get suckered by deals on bad tech when better stuff is almost here.

What Matters about Matter, the new smart home standard

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Matter’s plan to save the smart home

Matter is a new standard that promises to fix smart home interoperability — but can it deliver?

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Meross’ new smart plug is one of the first Matter devices you can buyMeross’ new smart plug is one of the first Matter devices you can buy
Matter is here, but it’s still a long road to the simple smart homeMatter is here, but it’s still a long road to the simple smart home
We’re getting our first look at Matter devices today, and here’s what’s coming nextWe’re getting our first look at Matter devices today, and here’s what’s coming next
Nanoleaf announces the first Matter-over-Thread light bulbsNanoleaf announces the first Matter-over-Thread light bulbs
Samsung SmartThings is now Matter certifiedSamsung SmartThings is now Matter certified
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

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