Background
The idea is that Matter will be a major boon to smart home adoption and popularity. It works by giving accessories cross-platform capabilities without nearly as much overhead as before. For instance, this means that if a device is Matter-compatible, then it is effectively HomeKit-compatible, too.
- There is only support for Matter via WiFi, not Thread
- Only compatible with Android devices
- Only supported accessory types: smart plugs, smart bulbs, and smart switches
Additionally, the delay of an iOS Matter-compatible Alexa app is due to “Apple requiring apps to use new APIs that only just became available,” says DeCenzo. He says they want to take the time to test the integration before releasing it.
Philips Hue adopts Matter
Meanwhile, The Verge also reports that the Philips Hue Bridge is now Matter certified. According to Signify, the beta firmware can be downloaded starting today and a free software update will be rolled out by March 2023.
With today’s official launch of Matter, it’s clear that many companies are fulfilling their promises of adopting the feature. At the same time, however, it’s clear that the Matter standard is still in the early days and there are limitations and tradeoffs while the technology continues to mature.
Signify will be leaning heavily on its bridge for years to come in order to help Hue device owners extract maximum value from their existing smart home setups. Even though Matter promises a future without such proprietary hubs, the reality for many smart home owners is that they’ll continue to be needed for a long, long time.
