Image: © goodluz/Stock.adobe.com
The Connectivity Standards Alliance said this will create the next generation of IoT products that work across brands and platforms, giving greater security and simplicity for consumers.
The push for a smart home standard has taken a leap forward with the launch of Matter 1.0, backed by tech companies such as Google and Amazon.
The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) said this will usher in a “new era” of the internet of things (IoT). The standard promises to bring interoperability between smart home devices, regardless of the brand or platform.
The initial release will support a variety of common smart home products, such as lights, controllers, door locks and media devices such as TVs. It runs over Ethernet, Wi-Fi and Thread, while using Bluetooth for device commissioning.
The alliance said companies can sign up to create new products under the Matter standard, with authorised test labs for product certification, test harnesses, tools and a software development kit available.
With these tools, the alliance said companies can bring the next generation of interoperable products to market, providing greater privacy, security and simplicity for consumers.
The CSA said that its members can also update existing products to support Matter, once their products are certified.
More than 280 member companies brought their technologies, experience and innovations together for Matter, including Amazon, Apple, Comcast, Google, Signify and SmartThings.
Google shared a redesigned version of its Home App that is compatible with Matter, which will be available for public preview in a few weeks.
“Devices are hard to set up, they don’t always perform when you need them to, they don’t all work well together and there are multiple apps to navigate,” said Google group product manager Anish Kattukaran.
“We believe that Matter, the new smart home connectivity standard, will help to address many of these challenges.”
CSA president and CEO Tobin Richardson added that Matter started as a mission to “unravel the complexities of connectivity”, but is now a global protocol that will “fundamentally change the IoT”.
“This release is the first step on a journey our community and the industry are taking to make the IoT more simple, secure and valuable, no matter who you are or where you live,” Richardson said.
“With global support from companies large and small, today’s Matter 1.0 release is more than a milestone for our organisation and our members; it is a celebration of what is possible.”
10 things you need to know direct to your inbox every weekday. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of essential sci-tech news.
