It's taken a bit of time, but we're finally seeing the Matter standard being implemented in various smart home devices. And this time it's coming to a Google Nest near you.
A total of eight devices will receive the update and all will serve as central hubs for controlling other Matter devices, according to the announcement. (opens in a new tab) You get the original Google Home speaker, Home Mini, Nest Mini, Nest Audio, Nest Hub (XNUMXst and XNUMXnd generation), Nest Hub Max, and Nest Wifi Pro. Matter-enabled devices can connect to any of all eight via Wi-Fi or Thread, a wireless standard that offers a "low power connection." In fact, the XNUMXnd generation Nest Hub, Hub Max, and WiFi Pro are also receiving an update that allows them to act as Thread Border routers to control other Thread devices. Additionally, Fast Pair on Android is being updated so mobile devices can quickly connect to Matter.
However, there are some prerequisites for Android phones. A company representative told us that mobile devices must be running Android 8.1 and later, as well as version 22.48.14 of Google Play Services to work with the new standard. Nest owners, however, have nothing to do. The firmware update that adds support for Matter is installed automatically.
future promises
Since Matter is still in its early days, there aren't many devices that support it, but that will soon change starting in 2023, when Google plans to expand (opens in new tab) the standard. Google has confirmed two such updates to TechRadar: the Nest Thermostat and the Nest Wifi. The tech giant also says that it is currently working with several "partners across the industry." to ensure more smart home devices work with Matter. And we'll start to see the fruits of their labor early next year.
Samsung is also currently working on updating Matter's multi-admin tool for an easier onboarding experience. In 2023, the Google Home app will have the ability to recognize "Matter devices that have been set up through the SmartThing app" on Android. In this way, users will not have to connect smart home devices one by one. Everything can be done in one fell swoop. And speaking of Google Home, the iOS version will also receive Matter support next year.
build a smart home
The options may be slim, but you do have some options. Eve, which we mentioned earlier, recently released a firmware update (opens in a new tab) adding Matter support for a number of products, like its Energy smart plug and some motion sensors. In early November, Signify launched a set of Christmas lights under the Philips Hue brand for the new normal.
If you're looking to build a smart home system but aren't sure where to start, be sure to check out TechRadar's recently updated list of the best home security cameras for 2023.