Matter is a protocol as much as an interoperability standard for the connected equipment making up a smart home. Manufacturers – especially Apple, Amazon, Google and Samsung – have finally agreed on features, after many years of pushing their own solutions. These persist, but double certification with Matter ensures (in theory) that compatible equipment can communicate with each other.
CES in Las Vegas is an opportunity for many companies to announce products supporting Matter. Above all, we expected certain major players to streamline this support, which is incomplete, complex to obtain, or even absent. However, in addition to providing interoperability between equipment, Matter allows their local control, without using the cloud.
Matter tumbles into Google Home
First major change, the arrival of Matter in a much larger number of products using a Google base, thanks to the distribution of the Google Home runtime. Google Nest devices, Chromecast products, Google TV devices running Android 14, and select LG TVs are affected.
An important change in Google’s strategy, as the firm until now promoted the availability of the cloud to process all requests. However, with the arrival of this runtime, all compatible equipment becomes capable of managing requests locally, authorizing the products to perform their functions even in the event of an internet outage.
Google estimates that with this change, 40 million devices become capable of controlling the Matter environment in the home. At the same time, Google announces that it will make more room for the protocol in its plans. “ We’re investing in Matter’s growth in several ways, including increasing development resources to improve certification automation, interoperability scripting, bug fixes, and SDK maintenance “, the company said in its announcement.
Developers invited to the party
Another major decision is the opening of Google Home APIs to third-party developers. For the first time, they will be able to use interfaces in their own applications to communicate with devices running the Google Home runtime. For example, it becomes possible to directly develop applications facilitating the creation of routines for devices present on the network, without having to work on device support.
This is not entirely new: the arrival of these APIs was announced at Google I/O last May. Companies like Eve, Nanoleaf, LG, ADT, Cync, Yale and Aqara were in the loop. Additionally, these APIs are currently in public beta and are only intended for Android developers. They will arrive soon on iOS, but no date has been communicated.
Google gives details on the type of API offered. Some are therefore intended for integration into an existing fleet, offering both cloud and local connectivity. Another is dedicated to commissioning, that is to say configuration from an Android device via Fast Pair. It takes care of connection, voice control compatibility in Google Assistant and compatibility with the Google Home ecosystem. Finally, an API is responsible for everything related to automation.
Common and automatic certification
Another major announcement, Apple, Google and Samsung have worked with the CSA (Connectivity Standards Alliance) to facilitate the certification of Matter products.
Currently, a company wishing to obtain certification must do so for as many environments as there are major tech players offering it. For example, if a new connected bulb is Matter compatible and the manufacturer wants to have it certified for Google Home, it must obtain certification for each one.
This process will change. The CSA has announced several notable simplifications of its processes. For example, an accelerated recertification program: products already certified for the first time to keep their stamp much more easily during software updates, the frequency of which could increase. Another program has been set up to allow the common certification of a device and all its variants, in a single request. It aims to be more effective than the current ones, based on similarity and product families, which it could eventually replace.
Matter opens (almost) all doors
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Matter certification will automatically pave the way for Apple, Google and Samsung certifications. In other words, going through the certification process for Matter will allow you to obtain those of the three manufacturers. For device manufacturers, the simplification will be significant.
« Recognizing the need for a more streamlined end-to-end certification process, the Alliance is pleased to announce that Apple has begun accepting Alliance Interop Lab test results for Matter devices as part of the “Works With Apple Home” program, and that Google and Samsung will do the same for their respective “Works With Google Home” and “Works With SmartThings” certifications later this year, underscoring the credibility and reliability of the Apple Home programs. Alliance test “, declared the CSA in its press release.
These simplifications should allow the Matter ecosystem to truly blossom, which should take precedence over proprietary connected environments.
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