Apple, Amazon and Google Smart Home Alliance Announces New 'Matter' Connectivity Standard

[MrPresident]

Can some one explain the difference between this and the Zigbee specification?

I was under the impression that both projects were about making smart home appliances communicate and work together.

 

[MauiPa]

Sole purpose of which is to eliminate the existing standards and give the big 3 a competitive stranglehold.

But its an open standard. I'm not seeing your point

 

[MauiPa]

Thread doesn’t Matter anymore 😝

isn't Thread the low energy networking protocol only? The rest of the standard sounds like a lot more

 

[FightTheFuture]

Erm.... firmware upgrade preaaaaase.

Look forward to the firmware updates for my Ring, Hive, Sonos, Blink, Echo, Hue, Tapo stuff

Wonder if the older products can have firmware updates to support the new standard?

I don’t see firmware updates happening with existing products. Matter will usher in a big push for new devices.

 

[macOS Lynx]

Can some one explain the difference between this and the Zigbee specification?

I was under the impression that both projects were about making smart home appliances communicate and work together.

It's a universal replacement that all the major smart home players (Apple, Amazon, Google, etc.) are going to be using.

It's like the USB-C of smart home protocols. Think of it like "Zigbee 2". It's just a better, more universal, more up to date standard.

 

[Alan Wynn]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought Thread was supposed to do this?

Thread is just a transport/modulation protocol. Thread is IEEE 802.15.4 modulation, but IPv6 for transport. Unlike Zigbee, which had a proprietary addressing scheme. It is just one of the options for transporting HomeKit. It is not a replacement for it. It is a replacement for Zigbee’s addressing scheme, but uses the same radio standard.

 

[ersan191]

Great news, terrible name.

 

[_Spinn_]

This is great news. I've been holding off getting into any smart home stuff until these kinds of interoperability issues got sorted out.

 

[1258186]

Seems like a really good idea. I hope Apple will be fully on board with this. I don’t have any smart home devices because I find it all a bit confusing. If they can simplify things so different brands work seamlessly together that has to be a good thing.

 

[Alan Wynn]

It's a universal replacement that all the major smart home players (Apple, Amazon, Google, etc.) are going to be using.

It is a replacement for the upper layers of the protocol stack.

It's like the USB-C of smart home protocols. Think of it like "Zigbee 2". It's just a better, more universal, more up to date standard.

This completely replaces Zigbee‘s upper level protocol, and allows its radio modulation scheme as one option along with anything else that can carry IPv6.

 

[mw360]

Can some one explain the difference between this and the Zigbee specification?

I was under the impression that both projects were about making smart home appliances communicate and work together.

FYI the Connectivity Standards Alliance that are introducing Matter, was formerly the Zigbee Alliance. I guess it’s a sort of Zigbee reboot but with much better industry support (if it goes according to plan).

 

[steve62388]

‘Matter’. Poor branding. There will be a lot written and spoken about this and it’s a clumsy product name when used in a sentence.

 

[javanate]

Yeah but I want to have my own standard that runs in this ecosystem, guess I have to sue

 

[Cesar Battistini]

No for one reason, the requirements the ”Matter” devices need certain standards for security. That alone eliminates a good deal of the current products. Defeat the purpose of the standard if devices with less standards were allowed. Maybe some devices could get there by firmware. Will see!

Philips just promised firmware updates for all past products. So yes.

 

[Cesar Battistini]

Umm, why isn't Apple listed as an early adopter? Amazon and Google are....

Because Amazon and Google are home product makers. Apple is not.

 

[AppleMad98004]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought Thread was supposed to do this?

Thread creates an actual wireless mesh network with compatible devices outside of Bluetooth and Wifi.

This is an API/software level communication compatibility structure.

 

[ipedro]

Not thrilled with the name, though the logo is cool. None of that really matters (heheh) anyway, because what’s important is that we’re getting inter-compatible devices — finally. I’ve been hoping to jump back into Nest but wasn’t willing to give up the Home app and Siri functions.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

‘Matter’. Poor branding. There will be a lot written and spoken about this and it’s a clumsy product name when used in a sentence.

“there will be a lot written”… isn’t that the definition of GREAT branding, though?

 

[TonyC28]

Nest🤝HomeKit. <----- Do this so I know you're serious. We already know it's possible.

 

[ipedro]

Philips just promised firmware updates for all past products. So yes.

Well, Phillips Hue already supports all three ecosystems so it won’t make much of a practical difference.

 

[jonnysods]

So will the EU and a whack of governments have some show hearing about collusion and monopoly etc etc?

 

[kwikdeth]

I don’t see firmware updates happening with existing products. Matter will usher in a big push for new devices.

Coming soon, even MORE trash in our landfills because all your smart appliances are no longer compatible with your phone's OS. Imagine if you paid a contractor to install a bunch of smart outlets and switches and one day they just stop working after an update. I'd be livid.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

So will the EU and a whack of governments have some show hearing about collusion and monopoly etc etc?

“They MAY have created an interoperable standard, but companies without the money to pay for manufacturing the hardware will still be LEFT OUT! How are small blanket makers supposed to enable their blankets with this technology without a very large quite sizable financial infusion?”

 

[Unregistered 4U]

even MORE trash in our landfills because all your smart appliances are no longer compatible with your phone's OS.

Sure, if you’re bound and determined to ensure it ends up in the landfill. There’s so many places that offer recycling, you have to make an effort to guarantee they end up in the landfill. It’s possible the garbage company separates the recyclables as well, so you’re going to have to drive to the landfill yourself.

 

[vc2020]

August & Lutron also seem to be missing from the list of initial adopters.