On Wednesday, the CSA unveiled its latest update to the Matter home automation specification, introducing several new device categories to the fast-growing standard.
Matter, overseen by the Connectivity Standards Alliance, has officially reached version 1.3, six months after the last major update. Now that the specifications are finalized, device manufacturers and ecosystem managers can add support themselves.
New device categories include:
- EV chargers
- Water inspectors
- Microwaves
- Ovens
- Hotplates
- Extractor hood
- Clothes dryers
Matter allows users to start and stop an electric vehicle charger. In addition, they can choose the charging rate or the time of their expected departure.
Water management devices include not only taps and faucets, but also rain sensors, leak detectors and freeze detectors.
Microwave support allows users to control cooking time, power level and mode during use. Additionally, they can receive notifications when the execution is complete.
Ovens can stand alone or in combination with a hob and provide control over cooking mode and status. There is a lot of support for detailed controls, such as the lifespan of filters or the light/fan control on extractor hoods.
Finally, clothes dryers are long overdue, as washing machines were previously added as part of matter 1.2.
Additional improvements with Matter 1.3:
- Energy management to report power, voltage, current and other real-time consumption or generation
- Improvements to TV functionality such as notifications
- Standardized scenes across platforms
- Order batching to reduce delays
- Improved network commissioning
- Event timestamp synchronization
While Matter 1.3 is now available to developers, major ecosystems have yet to add support for Matter 1.2, including Apple Home.
Apple Home, Samsung SmartThings, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa have all not deployed Matter 1.2 so far, nor have they promised a timeline for adoption.
Matter 1.2 brought several new device categories, including robot vacuum cleaners, washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, alarms, air quality monitors, and more.
We may not see support for Matter 1.2 until iOS 18 this fall, delaying Apple's support for version 1.3 until even later.
Matter is a new smart home standard that allows devices to achieve one certification and work in multiple ecosystems. The goal is to drive smart home adoption and simplify the accessory development process.