Actually we have different technologies to connect the different IoT devices and home automation to the Internet, some devices directly incorporate Wi-Fi connectivity at 2.4GHz, which connect directly to our WiFi router to start working. Other devices use ZigBeea wireless technology that allows us a great coverage, but that needs a “bridge” or “bridge” to connect to the Internet, something similar happens with Z wave, another technology widely used by home automation devices. In order to “unify” all devices in the same protocol, a group of manufacturers have launched matter, the protocol that we will use in the future smart home. Today at RedesZone we are going to explain what it consists of and which devices already have this protocol working.
What is Matter and what is it used for?
matter is a protocol that allows us to connect compatible devices and systems to each other, of course, always keeping in mind that home automation devices must be safe, reliable and also very easy to use, so that they are suitable for all users. A group of manufacturers has come together to design a standard that unifies the entire industryfor reliable and secure connectivity.
Thanks to this decision, the devices will work together without problems, since they will be compatible with each other because they will “speak” the same language. This is something very important, because right now each home automation device works under a proprietary protocol, and they use a different application for its management, which means that we have dozens of apps on the mobile for its implementation. The most important thing, without a doubt, is that we will have interoperability, now devices from different brands will work together natively, which increases versatility, because using Matter we can use very different devices and from different brands, but under the same protocol.
This protocol also has other strengths, such as its simplicity since we will simply have to buy it, turn on the device and it will automatically will connect to start working. A very important aspect is that this protocol is based on the IP-protocolso Matter allow communication between home devices seamlessly, including smartphone apps, cloud services, etc. In this way, all the devices will have local connectivity, so we can connect to them through the local home network.
The launch of this protocol will use the Wi-Fi and Thread network layers, in addition, it will use Bluetooth Low Energy to start up the different devices, so we will have to configure it with our smartphone.
When will we be able to use Matter
Currently this protocol is in the final stages of developmentthe first devices will hit the market next year, and it will do so in style, since we have many manufacturers of IoT devices “deeply involved” in making this protocol a success. For consumers, it is something they have been waiting for a long time, because eliminate problems when configuring them and integrating them into the home local networkplus we have more brands to choose from, to buy the device that suits our needs.
For developers, being based on IP connectivity, they will be able to develop truly innovative products, since the way to connect to them is through the local network. This is ideal for home automation-oriented operating systems such as Home Assistant, and it is that we will be able to continue enjoying really useful developments without overly complicating the code to adapt it to each manufacturer. A very important aspect for developers is that all the source code is open for development, so there will be no proprietary code, licensing, and other issues that are common when developing source code. Finally, Matter makes it easy for device manufacturers to support Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple’s Siri as well.
Compatible manufacturers and brands
The vast majority of major manufacturers and brands will support Matter, below, you can see the most relevant, although there are many more:
- amazon
- Manzana
- ASSA ABLOY
- Comcast
- huawei
- IKEA
- Infineon
- Legrand and also Netatmo
- LG
- OPPO
- Samsung SmartThings
- schneider electric
- somfy
- Yours
As you can see, the big manufacturers are fully involved in this new protocol that promises to be a complete revolution in home automation.
