Matter 1.4 is step forward in connected home automation
Matter, the smart home interoperability standard by the Connectivity Standards Alliance, has released the latest 1.4 version of its framework to device makers.
The marquee upgrade in the 1.4 version of Matter is its newly improved ‘Enhanced Multi-Admin’. Multi-Admin has been central to Matter’s plans for interoperability between different home automation devices and standards, allowing users to connect different brands of home automation seamlessly in an ecosystem that Matter calls a ‘Fabric’.
However, it has been plagued with issues since its launch, particularly about setup. Users frequently faced frustrations when pairing new devices, and struggled with different setup processes between brands and devices.
The ‘Enhanced Multi-Admin’ promised by Matter 1.4 claims to tackle many of these issues. Now, when a user pairs a smart home device to their ‘main’ Fabric, it will automatically be added to other Fabrics that have been authorized. So, a device that is added to Fabric A can be automatically synced to Fabric B.
This brings the feature in line with how many people expected it to work at launch. However, the delay has allowed Matter to ensure they can deliver what customers want with the level of security they require.
Matter 1.4 also expands the standard’s energy management options. It adds support for additional device types including solar panels, batteries, heat pumps, water heaters, and electric vehicle chargers. Users can now set devices to draw energy at specific times, such as off-peak hours to save money.
What is Matter?Put simply, Matter is a home automation framework standard that helps smart home devices from different brands work together more easily. It means that if a user likes different devices from different companies, they can integrate them into a single smart home setup.
For example, if a device like a smart bulb is matter-compatible, users can operate it with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, or any of the other smart home speakers out there.
More than 50 tech companies are part of the Connectivity Standards Alliance and are committed to ensuring compatibility with Matter, which is open-source and royalty-free.
Development is ongoing to continue to improve Matter. Earlier this year Amazon announced its video streaming platform as the first to be compatible with Matter Casting, allowing users to easily cast Amazon videos to other smart home screens.
ReadWrite reached out to Google, Amazon, and Apple to find out whether they intend to integrate Matter 1.4’s features into their devices, and when consumers will begin to see them in action.
An Amazon spokesperson told us: “The Matter 1.4 update will start rolling out to supported Echo and eero devices early next year. Over time, we’ll continue to add support for new features and Matter device types as device makers release new products.”
Featured image credit: Ideogram
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