The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) has just released version 1.4 of Matter, introducing several significant improvements to the open-source smart home standard. Matter 1.4 introduces several new device types and expands support for existing device categories. It also enables enhanced multi-admin support.
New Device Types, Expanded Support
Home routers, modems, and access points can now act as both Wi-Fi access points and Thread border routers. Since home routers and Wi-Fi access points already provide wireless coverage to a home, this will enhance the connectivity of Matter-compatible devices connection to the network over Thread.
The Matter 1.4 specification also includes energy management devices, such as solar power inverters, hybrid solar systems, and solar panel arrays, as well as battery walls, battery storage cells, battery energy storage systems, heat pumps, and water heaters.
Version 1.4 of the Matter specification also includes expanded support for devices in categories that were already included in the specification.
For electric vehicle chargers, Version 1.4 of the Matter specification adds user-defined charging preferences, including scheduling. Scheduling can be based on the most convenient time for the user to charge their vehicle or the most cost-effective time based on utility rates.
For thermostats support has been added for new scheduling and preset modes (i.e., vacation, home, and away). Presets can be triggered in a variety of ways, including motion detection, integration with other devices, and calendar events.
The sensor category now supports radar, vision, and ambient sensing technologies and smart switches for controlling in-wall lights and fans are now separated into their own device category.
Enhanced Multi-Admin Support
Enhanced Multi-Admin is a new feature in Matter 1.4 that allows users to easily connect their smart home devices to multiple platforms or ecosystems with a single authorization, rather than having to set up each device individually on every platform. Now, users will no longer need to go through the pairing process multiple times for each device and ecosystem, it eliminates the confusion of dealing with different setup methods across various platforms, and users can easily manage their smart home devices from multiple ecosystems without extra effort.
Support for Matter is included in the major smart home platforms including those from Amazon, Apple, Google, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant, Hubitat, and others. These enhancements continue with the progress that has been made over the last two years, since Matter was released, to create a comprehensive platform for integration of smart devices.
