Matter open-source standard to enable greater smart home interoperability

Matter is a new open-source interoperability standard that will simplify the connectivity of smart home systems, including security. 

The growing popularity of the Matter 1.0 standard was evident at the large Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January in Las Vegas, where the standard was heavily promoted by companies including Google, Amazon, and Samsung. A flood of Matter-connected products is on the horizon for ship dates in the second half of 2023.

Evolve, and manage IoT standards

Creating the standard is the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), formerly the Zigbee Alliance, which changed its name in May 2021. With 300 companies as members, CSA seeks to create, evolve, and manage Internet of Things (IoT) technology standards through a well-established, collaborative process.

CSA promotes the benefits of global, open standards, and the value of the IoT to customers and consumers, and seeks to break down the barriers to broad access and adoption of IoT technologies and solutions.

Matter

The new brand name Matter was launched in May 2021 to designate the standard formerly known as Project CHIP (Connected Home over IP), developed by CSA member companies including Apple, Google, Samsung, and Amazon.

There are currently 800 devices and apps certified to the new smart home standard, including various smart home equipment (except video cameras, which will be included in a major release in the fall of 2023). Matter version 1.0 was initial launch in October 2022.

Matter 1.0 release

Twice a year moving forward, Matter plans a minor release each spring and a major release each fall

As part of the Matter 1.0 release, authorised test labs are open for product certification, the test harnesses and tools are available, and the open-source reference design software development kit (SDK) is complete, thus enabling new products to be brought to market.

Twice a year moving forward, Matter plans updated releases, a minor release each spring and a major release each fall.

Smart home interoperability

Currently, a variety of CSA working groups are addressing various aspects of interoperability in the smart home, including issues such as data privacy, security, energy management, and health and wellness, says Christopher LaPré, CSA’s Head of Technology. “Implementing elements requires that the standards alliance be able to multitask on several tracks,” says LaPré.

Some development is centering around connectivity and the need for a “hub” to which multiple systems can communicate and incorporate an “identity” to regulate the availability of information to various systems. The standards will enable both do-it-yourself (DIY) systems and devices deployed by professional installers.

Addressing privacy requirements

The new development will be guided by what installers need to succeed in the home automation"

Ecosystems depend on the availability of some type of “identity” to meet privacy requirements. Rules must be implemented across the ecosystem that deploys a “trust system” to ensure privacy. Solving the challenge involves getting all the major players to the table at the technical level to meet the bar from the business and technology perspective.

“Integrators and retailers will play a role as Matter continues to evolve,” says LaPré. “New development will be guided by what installers need to succeed in the home automation market.”

Matter-certified devices

There is still work to be done to expand the 800 certified devices to function throughout the Matter ecosystem and to add new devices over time. One goal is to simplify an integrator’s solution using fewer hubs (and possibly a single hub) to provide a wide variety of services.

The timeline of adding new Matter-certified devices may be delayed by the availability of equipment in the global supply chain, says LaPré.

Flexibility

Multi-admin provides for the simultaneous operation of devices in multiple smart home systems

A multi-admin feature of Matter enables more flexibility for multiple ecosystems. A core feature of Matter, multi-admin provides for the simultaneous operation of devices in multiple smart home systems. Accordingly, family or household members could operate the device with the digital assistant or smartphone app of their choice. A bridging protocol helps to tie existing systems together. 

Amazon, Apple, Comcast, Google, SmartThings, and the Connectivity Standards Alliance came together in 2019 to develop and promote this new standard, joined by fellow Alliance board member companies IKEA, Legrand, NXP Semiconductors, Resideo, Schneider Electric, Signify, Silicon Labs, Somfy and Wulian.

Smart device communication

Currently, member organisations span all sizes, across a range of business categories. More than 1,700 Member individuals participate in bringing the Matter specification, reference implementations, testing tools, and certification programs to life.

Matter's underlying network technologies are Wi-Fi and Thread. Wi-Fi enables Matter devices to interact over a high-bandwidth local network and allows smart home devices to communicate with the cloud. Thread provides a mesh network within the home. Both the Wi-Fi Alliance and Thread Group partnered with the Connectivity Standards Alliance to help realise the vision of Matter.