Updated Matter 1.2 Specification Supports New Device Types and Brings Performance Improvements
The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) that Apple is a member of today announced that an updated Matter 1.2 specification is available for device makers and platforms. Matter 1.2 adds support for additional device types and brings improvements to Matter. Matter is a smart home protocol that allows devices to work across multiple platforms, including HomeKit.
With Matter 1.2, Matter support can be added to refrigerators, standalone room air conditioners, dishwashers, laundry machines, robotic vacuums, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, air quality sensors, air purifiers, and fans.
Apple's HomeKit supports some of these device types such as air quality monitors, air purifiers, and smoke alarms, but Apple may need to implement HomeKit updates to add Matter 1.2 support.
Matter 1.2 also adds improvements for multi-unit switches and multi-light fixtures, along with semantic tags and improvements for device operational states, which should give device makers more options for more complex smart home products.
According to the CSA, Matter 1.2 includes enhancements to testing and certification, which will allow companies to bring products to market faster.
Matter 1.2 certification is open as of now, and the Matter 1.2 devices and improvements are expected to be available on the market later this year. More information on the changes can be found on the CSA website.
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Top Rated Comments
HomeKit is a framework and protocol for smart devices to communicate with Apple's proprietary Home app. Similar frameworks and protocols exist to communicate with Google, Amazon, and Samsung's respective home apps.
Smart devices have to be separately programmed to speak to Apple, Google, Amazon, and Samsung's respective ecosystems. Many devices settle on just Google and Amazon's.
Matter was developed as as sort of single, universal language that allows a smart device to speak to all of the major smart home platforms. Apple, Google, Amazon, and Samsung's apps speak both their native protocols and they speak Matter. As a result smart device manufacturers just need to program their devices to use Matter and the device can support all of the major smart home platforms.
So Matter is not HomeKit because HomeKit is just a protocol. Both Matter and HomeKit speak natively to Apple's Home app ecosystem, without the need for add-ons like HomeBridge.
Apple insisted on smart home devices to talk to their Home hub directly, so they can operate even when the vendor goes out of business or without the Internet. Matter also share the same benefit.