(Translation of an original PlanHub article)
The incompatibility between the different connected systems is a real problem, fortunately, the Matter standard will unify them, but you’ll have to wait. Let us explain it all to you!
Image Credit: Capture CSA
Among the novelties presented at CES 2023, the Matter hub announced in November 2022 a universal communication protocol between connected objects. It must be said that currently, each manufacturer proposes its own standard with its hardware and, of course, its hub to connect to your router. If you decide to equip yourself with Philips Hue bulbs in the bedroom, add a few lights from Quebec’s Smartika in the living room and Nanoleaf in the playroom, you’ll have to connect several hubs to your router and manage your lights independently using three applications. If your shutters are also electric, and you use Apple Home Kit on your phone, all this becomes quite complicated to manage. To solve this problem, several major players, including Google and Apple, have joined forces within the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) to present a universal solution.
One box to control them all
Matter is an open protocol hub that connects to the router and is compatible with all existing accessories. Several players like Apple with Home Kit, Android and Nanoleaf are already compatible. This hub allows you to control all your devices from its interface, while the applications of the respective manufacturers are also accessible according to the product presentation. This is a massive advantage since it will eliminate the need to buy each hub from a separate manufacturer, which will lower expenses for customers. On the other hand, there is only one hub to connect to the router, often limited to four ports.
All compatible? We’ll have to wait and see.
Matter should be launched this year, and it’s certain that it could quickly gain acceptance, especially since it has the support of the industry, which sees it as a way to ensure sales to consumers who would have been put off by the lack of compatibility or the obligation to add yet another hub.
However, not all existing home automation devices will be compatible overnight, while others may never be. We are thinking in particular of all electrical controls for shutters or garage doors, for which it would be necessary to rewrite the security protocols or change the programming to adapt them to Matter, not to mention the software update to be deployed, something that is sometimes impossible as it is.
On the other hand, these same manufacturers can make their new equipment compatible with Matter. It will therefore take a few years before Matter becomes established, but it should quickly become a standard if it is successful.
