Matter, Thread, or how the smart home is about to go to the next level

Smart home technology is about to reach a new level of efficiency.

HomePod mini from above

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A few days ago, an alliance announced some time ago began to materialize. As we already shared, Matter will be the name of the standard that the big manufacturers will use for the smart home. A standard that seems necessarynow that fragmentation is becoming a real problem, but it comes at the best time.

Home automation is not a particularly new topic. We have spent several years trying to transform the way we relate to our homes. Looking for a connection that allows us make them more efficient, practical. However, each company has tried to take it down its own path, creating different ecosystems disconnected from each other.

Normally, this does not imply big problems. In the end, many products allow you to use the different solutions without major inconvenience. Thanks to that we find accessories compatible with HomeKit that are also compatible with Alexa and Google Home. Nevertheless, this implies additional effort that not everyone faces.

Matter and Thread, two great allies in the evolution of the smart home

Matter is about somewhere in between. An open standard, supported by manufacturers such as Apple, Google, Amazon, or Signify (manufacturers of Philips Hue), which seeks to ensure the greatest compatibility. It is not a “tangible” technology, but rather a protocol that makes it easy for devices to work with major ecosystems without complications.

On the other hand, what is a technology, and most interesting, is Thread. Thread and Matter practically come hand in hand. And together, they are the perfect match for the new generation of smart homes. And it is that, if Matter offers compatibility and simplicity in the connection, Thread offers speed and stability.

What is Thread, and why do we want to have it in our home?

Thread is a network technology that is specifically designed for the so-called Internet of Things. Offers minimal latency, and it works in such a way that, with each new accessory, its stability remains perfect. And it is something that, if you have the HomePod mini or one of the new ones, you can start using.

This technology has two key components: the accessories themselves, and an “edge router”. The latter is responsible for communicating the accessories with ecosystems such as HomeKit. However, accessories are not just limited to connecting with it. One of the advantages of Thread is that, to improve the connection, accessories also connect to each other.

Together, they create a mesh network that greatly improves stability, and is not dependent on a separate Wi-Fi router or bridge. In the case of HomeKit, you only need something as simple as a second-generation Apple TV 4K or a HomePod mini.

The installation of an accessory with Thread is also very simple. Simply connect the accessory with the same QR or PIN that we would use with any other HomeKit accessory. The Home app will take care of connecting it to the HomePod mini or Apple TV 4K, and the user will not have to worry about anything else.

A future that requires both technologies to achieve the ideal home

Thus, both technologies look very promising separately. However, we still have to see the best: the combination of both. The arrival of the first products compatible with Matter is expected by the end of this year. And in the case of Thread, there are still few compatible accessories.

For example, as far as Thread is concerned, we have smart bulbs. These are reasonably priced bulbs, 20 euros, which are Bluetooth and Thread compatible. They offer RGB color, and although they are not as bright as we would like, their price makes them equally attractive.

We also have new Eve Home accessories, with Thread compatibility, such as the weather station Eve Weather or the Eve Water sensor. On Matter’s part, for now we only know that there will be some backward compatibility, since the current Hue Bridges will be updated with compatibility for this protocol.

And the path of Matter and Thread has only just begun…

In both cases, we are at the starting line. But we can’t help but dream of the improvements that will come with both technologies. Having already tried Nanoleaf bulbs with my HomePod mini, and used to the failures of Hue or Wi-Fi bulbs, I honestly think it will be worth it.

Best of all, Apple is already ready for Thread, and it’s also getting ready for Matter. In the case of Thread, and as I indicated above, it can already be used with a second-generation Apple TV 4K or a HomePod mini. For Matter, probably we will just have to wait for iOS 15which is already on its way.

In short, Thread and Matter advance a bright future for the smart home. If they have adequate support from the manufacturers, it is possible that we can finally have technology truly at our service. And that we do not have to be constantly aware of technology.

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