The smart home landscape today faces a critical roadblock in widespread consumer adoption - ecosystem fragmentation. With various proprietary standards including Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple Home, Samsung SmartThings and more - smart devices struggle to play nicely together. The promise of a convenient networked home falls apart when you need 5 different apps just to control lights from various brands. Though some home automation enthusiasts have developed 3rd party software and hardware, the experience is never as seamless as desired.
But that will soon change with Matter - an upcoming smart home standard that allows complete interoperability between previously walled gardens.
Backed by leading tech giants like Amazon, Google and Apple, Matter can finally make the simplified connected future of tech a reality.
Here's how Matter will revolutionize smart homes.
Seamless Smart Ecosystem Consolidation
The core innovation Matter brings is a unified smart home protocol. Instead of companies utilizing proprietary software that only works within closed environments, Matter provides an open-source standard that all smart home devices can adopt. With Matter compliance, you can integrate devices across different brands seamlessly without compatibility issues.
Now smart light bulbs, Bluetooth sensors and Wi-Fi cameras can all work together in one home. No more being locked into a single smart home environment. Mix and match from various vendors knowing they'll work in harmony.
Easier System Setups
For matter to work you will still need a bridge or hub that you then connect to a thread device (like a HomePod or Apple TV). Still, Matter will significantly minimize complicated smart home setups. Most smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Home and Siri will bake in Matter support to become one-stop controllers.
Advanced Interoperability Unlocks Innovative Automation
Thus far smart home automations are limited to basic triggers within a single environment's walled garden. With Matter, advanced automation can now incorporate cross-ecosystem devices for sophisticated functionality. Keep in mind, though, that Matter may not enable all the functions that a native app can.
For example, a security camera detection might trigger your Nest Thermostat, Arlo siren simultaneously. These complex automations manage multiple facets of homes seamlessly.
Energy-Efficient And Secure Encrypted Communications
Matter utilizes industry standards like IPV6, TLS encryption and Bluetooth Low Energy to enable secure and power-efficient device communications minimizing bandwidth and battery drain. Your personal data remains protected while devices achieve longer battery lives.
Increased Innovation Unbound By Ecosystem Barriers
With Matter removing the shackles binding devices into exclusive ecosystems, manufacturers now get increased flexibility to push boundaries. Expect an explosion of innovative form factors and functionality without artificial ecosystem constraints.
Lockly Paves the Future With Cross-Platform Smart Locks
Smart lock leader Lockly already emphasizes open, neutral integrations having partnered with both key smart assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Home. As the first smart lock brand to join the Matter consortium early on, they lead the charge in developing Matter-ready products for cross-ecosystem interoperability.
Our new Matter link will bring Matter compatibility to our existing models and existing locks that has been already been installed, future-proofing all Lockly smart locks.
When Matter releases, expect superior smart locks like Lockly to unlock more seamless smart security integrations than ever before.
Want to learn more about Matter and Lockly? Click here to see us unlock the future of smart homes.
The Neutral Connected Home Future
In essence, Matter finally provides the missing neutral layer enabling cohesive interoperability in the fragmented smart home landscape. With barrier-free cross-compatibility, smart home technology can finally deliver on its full promise without ecosystem-imposed limits. Matter paves the way for neutral players like Lockly to accelerate sophisticated innovations blending once disparate technologies like access control, home monitoring and more.
Gone are the days of proprietary standards locking consumers and limiting manufacturers. The Matter-powered future brings an exponentially expanding array of mix-and-match devices unlocking smarter, budget-friendlier, secure and truly automated homes. Matter will utterly transform lifestyles with the most intuitive, connected smart living environment ever. Welcome to the game-changing future of smart homes.
For more technology insight, visit the Lockly blog today.
Sources
Forbes - CES 2023: Matter — Unlocking The Smart Home
The Verge - Every smart home device that works with Matter
Wired - Here’s What the ‘Matter’ Smart Home Standard Is All About
Connectivity Standards Alliance - Matter FAQ
