Matter - The new smart home standard

Matter is a new standard in the smart home sector that simplifies the communication of devices across manufacturers (currently published in version 1). It was developed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) and all major companies active in the smart home sector are involved, such as Apple, Google, Philips, Ikea and Amazon: Apple, Google, Philips, Ikea and Amazon.

As a standard, Matter regulates how smart products (lights, access systems, heating systems, etc.) communicate with each other. From status information to executable commands, all product groups are clearly defined, which greatly simplifies the integration of devices into a larger overall system.

This is based on the standardized capabilities of the product groups, which describe read and write actions such as temperatures and digital inputs or functions such as "open door" and "switch on".

These devices are controlled by a so-called matter controller, which in the simplest case is a tablet or smartphone - this allows a very low-threshold entry for end customers, as no expensive control components are required and no additional cables need to be laid due to the wireless technology (WLAN and Thread).

• Matter allows the end user to control all smart home devices via an app and create rules for automation

• For manufacturers of a potentially smart home-capable device, it becomes easier to get the device "smart home ready" and thus generate additional revenue. In addition, there is no need to provide a separate app or controller to operate the smart home device.

• For smart home integrators, in turn, the effort involved in integrating devices from different manufacturers into a scenario is reduced.