If you’re a fan of smart home devices, you’ve probably heard of Matter, a standard that’s aimed at making smart home devices easier to use and more compatible with each other.
Matter 1.4 has just been released, and it brings some big changes that could make your smart home setup and management easier than ever.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced smart home user, these updates will help improve how your devices work together. Let’s check out the five biggest updates in Matter 1.4 and how they can benefit you and your smart home.
Enhanced Multi-Admin for Easier Setup and Management
One of the most exciting new features in Matter 1.4 is Enhanced Multi-Admin. This feature will make it a lot easier to control your Matter-enabled devices from multiple apps at once.
In the past, when you added a Matter device to your home, you had to choose a specific app to control it.
If you wanted to use another app to control the same device, you had to share it manually through that app. This could get complicated and frustrating, especially if you were using more than one smart home platform.
Now, with the Enhanced Multi-Admin feature in Matter 1.4, you can select multiple apps during the device setup process.
This means that your device will be available in all the apps you’ve selected right away. You no longer have to manually share the device between different apps. For example, if you use Google Home and Amazon Alexa, you can set up a device in both apps at the same time, without any extra work.
This makes it easier to manage your devices and gives you more flexibility when choosing how you want to control your smart home.
However, keep in mind that the way these apps interact with your devices may vary. Some apps might automatically use default names for rooms and devices, which means you may have to make a few adjustments after setup.
But overall, Enhanced Multi-Admin is a great feature that makes controlling your smart home simpler and more convenient.
Matter Certified Home Routers for Improving Smart Home Network
Another important update in Matter 1.4 is the addition of Matter-Certified Home Routers and Access Points. This change is designed to improve the network that connects your Matter devices, especially when it comes to Thread.
Thread is a wireless networking protocol that’s used in Matter to create a mesh network for your smart home devices.
This means that each device in your home can communicate with others, even if they aren’t connected directly to your Wi-Fi network. Thread helps save power, increase reliability, and make devices easier to set up and use.
Until now, many people didn’t know much about Thread, and there were limited options for setting up a reliable Thread network in the home.
But with Matter 1.4, we’re seeing the introduction of Matter-certified routers and access points. These are routers and Wi-Fi devices that are built to support both Thread and Wi-Fi, ensuring that your Matter devices work more efficiently.
Matter-certified routers will make it easier for you to set up a smart home with Matter devices. Instead of needing to worry about setting up a separate Thread network or using a hub, these routers will do the work for you.
They will help create a more reliable and stable connection for your Matter devices, so your devices will be able to communicate more easily.
While it might take some time for these certified routers to become widely available, the update is a step forward in making Matter devices easier to use.
It also opens up the possibility for internet service providers (ISPs) and other companies to create routers that are specifically designed to work with Thread and Matter. With better network infrastructure, your smart home devices will be more reliable, and it will be easier to manage your smart home.
Energy Management Updates and Controlling Your Home’s Power Use
Another big update in Matter 1.4 is related to energy management. As more and more people look for ways to reduce energy use and make their homes more energy-efficient, Matter is introducing features that help you control the power use of devices like solar panels, batteries, and heat pumps.
With the Matter 1.4 update, new device types have been added to the Matter standard, including solar panels, batteries, heat pumps, and water heaters.
These types of devices are becoming increasingly important as people try to manage their energy consumption and reduce their electricity bills. For example, solar panels can help you generate your own electricity, while batteries can store energy for later use.
One of the key features of the energy management update is the ability to schedule when devices like batteries charge or discharge, based on things like weather conditions or peak energy pricing. This can help you save money by making sure your devices operate during the times when energy is the cheapest.
For example, you might want your battery to charge when energy prices are low, and then discharge it when energy prices are high.
This allows you to take advantage of cheaper electricity, which can result in lower utility bills. It also gives you more control over how and when your energy devices work, making it easier to balance energy savings with comfort.
However, full support for peak energy pricing will likely come in Matter 1.5, so there may be even more energy management features to look forward to.
But for now, the updates in Matter 1.4 give you more control over your home’s energy use, and they’ll help you make smarter decisions when it comes to managing power.
Core Enhancements and Improved Control and Discovery
Matter 1.4 also includes several core enhancements that improve the overall user experience when it comes to controlling and discovering Matter devices. These updates make it easier to interact with your devices and set them up in your smart home.
For example, dimmable load controllers and mounted on/off switches will now be better supported. This means devices like ceiling fans, lights, and other appliances that you can turn on or off will work more smoothly with Matter-enabled apps.
These devices will be able to respond faster to your commands and integrate more easily into your smart home routines.
Another great feature is the ability for simple sensors (like motion detectors) to send direct messages to Matter apps, without needing a hub. This means you can get alerts straight from your devices without having to worry about a hub in the middle.
Whether it’s a motion detector triggering a light to turn on or an alert telling you that the door was opened, Matter 1.4 makes it easier to stay connected to your devices.
Additionally, improved device discovery makes it faster and easier to find and add devices to your Matter network. This reduces setup times and helps you get your smart home up and running more quickly. Overall, these core enhancements help make Matter more user-friendly and efficient.
Conclusion
- Matter 1.4 introduces several exciting updates that will make your smart home experience more convenient, reliable, and efficient.
- From easier device setup with Enhanced Multi-Admin to better energy management options, these changes help improve how your devices work together and make it easier for you to control your smart home.
- The updates to network infrastructure and device discovery also ensure that your smart home will continue to improve as new technologies emerge.
- While there’s still room for more advanced features, like full support for peak energy pricing, Matter 1.4 is a solid step forward for smart home users.
- It simplifies the setup process, enhances the power management of your devices, and improves the overall reliability of Matter-based networks. If you’re looking to make your home smarter, Matter 1.4 is definitely worth keeping an eye on.
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