Matter (standard)

In December 2019, Amazon, Apple, Google, Samsung SmartThings and the Zigbee Alliance announced the collaboration and formation of the working group of Project Connected Home over IP. The goal of the project is to simplify development for smart home product brands and manufacturers while increasing the compatibility of the products for consumers.^[24][25]

The standard operates on Internet Protocol (IP) and functions via one or more controllers that connect and manage devices within a local network, eliminating the need for multiple proprietary hubs for each ecosystem. Matter-certified products are engineered to operate locally and do not depend on an internet connection for their core functions.^[26] Leveraging IPv6 addressing,^[27] the standard facilitates seamless communication with cloud services. Its goal is to facilitate interoperability among smart home devices, mobile apps, and cloud services, employing a specific suite of IP-based networking technologies such as mDNS and IPv6.^[28] By adhering to a network design that operates at the Application Layer of the OSI 7 layer model, Matter differs from protocols like Zigbee or Z-Wave and theoretically can function on any IPv6-enabled network. Presently, official support is limited to Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and the wireless mesh network Thread.^[29]

Updates to the standard are planned to occur biannually.^[30]

• Version 1.0 of the specification was published on 4 October 2022.^[31] It introduced support for lighting products (such as mains power plugs, electric lights and switches), door locks, thermostats and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning controllers, blinds and shades, home security sensors (such as door, window and motion sensors), and televisions and streaming video players.^[32]
• Version 1.1 of the specification was published on 18 May 2023. Although a new version, it did not include any new categories, only bug fixes and enhancements to existing SDK, API and devices.^[33]
• Version 1.2 of the specification was published on 23 October 2023. This version added nine new device types (refrigerators, portable air conditioners, dishwashers, laundry washers, robotic vacuum cleaners, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, air quality sensors, air purifiers, and fans). It also provides revisions and additions to existing categories, improvements to the specification and SDK, and certification and testing tools.^[34]
• Version 1.3 of the specification was published on 8 May 2024. This version added support for water and energy management devices as well as appliance support for ovens, microwave ovens, cooktops, extractor hoods, laundry dryers, and Matter-casting media players. Scenes and command-batching were also added.^[35]
• Version 1.4 of the specification was released on 7 November 2024, introducing an expanded focus on electricity-related areas, including batteries, solar systems, home routers, water heaters, and heat pumps. It also featured enhancements to existing areas, such as increased support for electric vehicle chargers, along with significant improvements to Thread devices.^[36]
• Version 1.4.1 of the specification was released on 7 May 2025. This minor version adds NFC onboarding and multi-device setup.^[37]
• Version 1.4.2 of the specification was released on 11 August 2025. The minor update made security enhancements to Matter networks and standardized various existing behaviors to improve networking. The update also made some changes to device support requirements for routers and other "network infrastructure managers," requiring them to be certified for Thread 1.4 and support addressing at least 150 devices.^[38]
• Version 1.5 of the specification was published on 20 November 2025. This major update adds support for cameras, soil moisture sensors and energy management features. Additionally, this version enhances the Closures service, allowing for modular motion types (e.g. sliding, rotating and opening) which can be leveraged by component builders to improve services such blinds, curtains, gates and doors.^[39]

For future versions, the working group has been working on support for ambient motion and presence sensing, environmental sensing and controls, closure sensors, energy management, Wi-Fi access points, cameras, and major appliances.^[30]

CSA maintains the official list of Matter-certified products,^[40] and restricts use of the Matter logo to certified devices. Matter product certification is also stored on the CSA's Distributed Compliance Ledger (DCL),^[41] which publishes attestation information about certified devices.

• Amazon Alexa – Amazon's smart assistant and home control system
• Google Nest – Google's smart home system, formerly called Google Home
• Apple Home – Apple's smart home system
• KNX – an open standard (see EN 50090, ISO/IEC 14543) for commercial and residential building automation
• Thread – low-power mesh protocol designed for battery-powered devices, which Matter uses as one of its supported transport layers
• X10 – a home automation protocol developed in the 1970s
• Zigbee and Z-Wave – wireless mesh protocols for home automation, can be used with Matter and a compatible bridge