Matter, a smart home connectivity standard, launched with the ambitious goal of unifying disparate ecosystems and enabling seamless cross-brand communication. However, the initial two years have been riddled with challenges, primarily stemming from slow adoption of supported device types by industry giants like Apple, Amazon, and Google, coupled with persistent reliability and interoperability issues. The underlying Thread protocol, a core component of Matter, has also experienced significant growing pains. Despite these setbacks, the organizations driving Matter – the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), Thread Group, and Wi-Fi Alliance – remain optimistic, asserting that 2025 will be a pivotal year for addressing these concerns and delivering on the initial promise of a reliable and user-friendly smart home experience.
The strategy to improve Matter hinges on collaborative efforts between these three organizations. Their key focus areas include optimizing the interaction between Matter and home routers. This entails addressing the multicast issue plaguing many routers, potentially by embedding dedicated software solutions. Additionally, incorporating Thread radios directly into routers is being explored, along with potentially replacing Bluetooth with Thread for device onboarding, and migrating existing ecosystems to Thread 1.4. A significant step towards broader interoperability involves the unprecedented sharing of real-world deployment data by companies like Apple and Google, which aims to assist other manufacturers in successfully implementing the technology. These combined efforts are intended to shift the current reality, where reliable Matter functionality often necessitates staying within a single ecosystem, towards genuine cross-platform compatibility.
The selection of Thread and Wi-Fi as Matter’s wireless protocols, over existing technologies like Zigbee and Z-Wave, was a member-driven decision based on the prevalence of Wi-Fi in smart homes and Thread’s suitability for a wide range of use cases. The emphasis on IP-based communication, mirroring the architecture of the internet, was a crucial factor in this choice. While Wi-Fi excels in high-bandwidth applications like video streaming, Thread provides lower latency and power efficiency, making them complementary technologies. Although some current Matter devices offer both Matter-over-Thread and Matter-over-Wi-Fi versions, causing consumer confusion, the ultimate goal is to abstract this choice from the end user. As Thread infrastructure expands, particularly through the adoption of Thread border routers in home networks, the choice between Wi-Fi and Thread will become automatic, based on the specific device and its optimal connectivity.
Thread 1.4 is anticipated to be a game-changer for interoperability, resolving issues with communication between border routers from different manufacturers. The accelerated deployment of 1.4, through the sunsetting of older Thread versions, is expected to significantly improve network stability. While user involvement in credential sharing for Thread networks will likely remain necessary, similar to sharing Wi-Fi passwords, the underlying mechanisms will be standardized, leading to a smoother experience. The current reliance on mobile devices with Thread radios, particularly from Apple and Google, serves as a bridge for early adopters, offering basic automation and offline functionality. However, the ultimate goal is for integrated Thread support in routers to become the norm, obviating the need for mobile device dependence.
The role of Bluetooth within the Matter ecosystem is also being reevaluated. While Bluetooth remains crucial for applications like high-quality audio streaming, Thread 1.4’s native commissioning capabilities offer a potential replacement for Bluetooth in onboarding new Thread devices. This simplification could reduce both complexity and cost for manufacturers, eliminating the need for an additional radio and the associated memory requirements. Beyond onboarding, Thread’s low-power and low-latency characteristics also position it as a competitor to Bluetooth in other applications, including health and wellness devices that transmit small amounts of data periodically. The HRAP (Home Routers and Access Points) initiative is central to Matter’s future, ensuring routers are optimized for the protocol. While many current routers possess the necessary Wi-Fi capabilities, incorporating Thread support remains a work in progress, with service providers leading the charge in deploying Thread-enabled routers. Even for routers without integrated Thread radios, implementing functionalities like IPv6 and reliable multicast discovery are crucial for Matter’s success.
The stakeholders acknowledge Matter’s bumpy start but remain confident in its long-term prospects. 2025 is earmarked as the year of reliability, focusing on refining existing functionalities rather than expanding device categories. The collaborative spirit between competing companies is highlighted as a key strength, with manufacturers sharing data and learnings to accelerate the development and improvement of the standard. While the current state of Matter might warrant a “B” or “B+” grade, the commitment to continuous improvement and the collaborative environment suggest a promising trajectory toward achieving the ultimate goal of a truly interoperable and reliable smart home.
