Samsung integrated the Matter smart home standard into SmartThings, its smart home ecosystem, a couple of years ago. Now, a new version of Matter (version 1.4) is here, and it brings support for several new types of devices, including Wi-Fi routers.
Matter 1.4 will likely be integrated into SmartThings sometime next year. And it will make setting up Matter devices even easier.
Matter 1.4 makes it easier to use devices with multiple platforms, brings support for Wi-Fi routers
The first version of Matter was first released two years ago. Since then, the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) has released several updates to Matter. Today, the Matter 1.4 specifications have been released.
This new version brings something called “Enhanced Multi-Admin,” which makes it easier to use Matter-enabled devices with multiple smart home ecosystems (Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and SmartThings) simultaneously.
While Matter 1.3 brought support for ‘Multi Admin,' adding compatible Matter devices was still a challenge. That is because each Thread Border Router created its own network. Matter 1.4 allows Thread Border Routers from different brands to work together on a single network.
So, when you add a Matter-compatible smart light to your Matter 1.4 compatible Thread Border Router and ecosystem of choice (say SmartThings), it will also automatically get added to other authorized ecosystems (like Google Home).
Matter 1.4 also supports access points, modems, set-top boxes, and Wi-Fi routers. Thus, you can control such devices from your SmartThings app in the future. Moreover, Wi-Fi routers can now act as Thread Border Routers, which makes smart home setup easier.
This new Matter specification brings expanded energy management. It supports the following energy devices:
- Battery energy storage systems
- Electric water heaters
- Heat pumps
- Solar panels
- Solar system inverters
- Solar system batteries
It also brings support for energy pricing information. So, you can now add your local area's electricity rates, and your smart home ecosystem can calculate energy usage and optimize energy usage for lower costs.
All of this makes Matter a more complete ecosystem than it was earlier. The only device type that Matter still doesn't support is a security camera. It is said that support for security cameras will be added with Matter 1.5, but no one knows when that specification will be released.
SmartThings could get Matter 1.4 support next year
Samsung became the first smart home brand to bring Matter 1.3 standard to its ecosystem, SmartThings. Hopefully, it would also be one of the first to bring Matter 1.4 integration.
Looking at Samsung's track record, it could add Matter 1.4 support to SmartThings sometime next year.
