Mesh networking is critical to the smart home, and it's partly why Thread is the network of choice for Matter.
If you're busy reading up on Matter smarthome devices, you may have come across mentions of something called Thread. But what is it?
Smart homes technology has been surprisingly slow to build integrations with TVs. Aside from support for smart assistants, there is little to shout about. It’s hardly smart, is it? But with increased support for Matter, that might be about to change.
With the current boom in AI, it won't be long before we all have a HAL9000 to manage our smart homes for us.
Matter is bringing smart home convenience outdoors with connected lighting, sensors, plugs, and weather-ready automation
Although Thread doesn't need a "hub" in the traditional sense, you will still need another piece of hardware called a Thread Border Router—to take advantage of its benefits. So, if you are just starting a smart home or making the move to Matter, you'll need to know which devices act as Thread Border Routers. Here's our complete list of all the Thread Border Routers on the market today.
IKEA has spent the last decade flogging its TRADFRI gateway. But IKEA is a member of the Connectivity Standards Alliance, and Matter is the CSA’s pet project. Then Matter 1.3 happened, and suddenly IKEA’s new smart home looked a lot more interesting. Could the DIRIGERA bridge Matter in your home?
Now you can make a DIY Matter accessory... in Swift!
In our guide to the best smart plugs, we covered how they are a simple, yet effective way to add Matter capabilities to older devices with physical controls. However, smart plugs aren't so hot when it comes to devices that don't save their state after powering down or for those that rely on a remote. For these types of devices, you'll need to turn to a Matter-compatible IR Blaster to get the job done.
For some smart home users, there are likely household members who don't quite share the same level of enthusiasm for home automation. For them—or just for those times when pressing a button is just plain quicker and easier—having a smart button or remote in the home is a must. Enter the TUO Smart Button.
The internet is abuzz with talk of a "secret" Thread radio chip in some Apple devices, so let's speculate on what it could be used for in future.
A collection of new features have been unveiled in Home Assistant 2024.6, which boasts various improvements and the inclusion of Matter 1.3. The Spring 2024 revision of Matter adds various smart home interoperability enhancements, which are now supported in the new Home Assistant release.
When you need the versatility of smart plugs for your desk or behind a TV, you'll want to consider a Matter-compatible smart power strip with USB (or without).
FCC reports of current and upcoming Apple devices reveal that many of them have a hidden feature. But why do new iPhones and MacBooks have a Thread radio?
Knowing which version of Matter your hardware is running can help you to choose the right devices. It will also determine which features your smart home kit can control via a smart hub app, and which ones are restricted to the device’s native app. But there is a problem. You can’t definitively find out which version of Matter you’re using.
Pairing your new Matter accessory should be simple—but behind the scenes there’s a lot going on. Here’s what you need to know about the process.
To stand out in today's smart plug market, vendors will need to look for new ways to differentiate themselves from the plethora of low-cost alternatives. One company, Eve Systems, hopes to do so by offering their Eve Energy Smart Plug that focuses on user privacy while utilizing cutting-edge technology.
The chances are, your smart home isn’t as smart as you would like it to be. Incompatibility, a lack of interoperability, and perhaps a simple tiff between brands and ecosystems are taking their toll. Multiple apps, dependence on specific hubs, and a collision of ecosystems in an attempt to make things simply work.
Arguably the biggest problem with smart homes is the lack of compatibility between devices and hubs. Even where compatibility is used as a selling point, problems can occur down the line. Two possible solutions are the Matter protocol and the Z-Wave mesh networking system. But both are slightly different.
It does so much besides, but the main reason to buy the Aqara Hub M3 is to add Matter control to existing Aqara products.