Matter

Ecosystem lock-ins aren't always bad, but when it comes to smart homes, the landscape is messy. Currently, there are different standards, countless brands, ...

Existing voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant will still be a hands-free way to interact with Matter devices. It looks like a HomeKit-esque setup process could be in order, where simply scanning the QR code on your smart home device will initiate a swift setup process. But it shows how Matter is embracing already established technology to make everything work a little easier. In theory, if a smart home device can connect to a wireless network it could be compatible with Matter. Beyond that, there is nothing much to go on. Thread is a low-power wireless protocol that creates a mesh network and allows devices to talk to each other. Zigbee isn’t an IP-based protocol, so there’s work to be done on making it talk to Matter. Matter is also designed to be open, so you can pop along to its This is how Matter is described on its [official website](https://csa-iot.org/all-solutions/matter/): Matter is, apparently, just around the corner and it should completely change the smart home landscape for the better. Google is one of the biggest drivers alongside Amazon, and Apple has committed to full HomeKit integration into Matter. But you can’t use something that supports Alexa with something that supports HomeKit and not Alexa.