IFA 2024 in Berlin brought a wealth of news for the Matter smart home standard and the topic of interoperability in the smart home market. Key developments for Matter from leading manufacturers include new dual-protocol solutions, advanced home appliances, and innovative smart home components. Here's an overview of the most exciting announcements:
1. Bosch and Aqara: Dual-radio protocol devices with Thread and Zigbee
At IFA, Bosch presented the new [+M] series, which supports both Zigbee and Thread. This flexibility allows users to choose the standard that suits them best or switch seamlessly between the two. Aqara is pursuing a similar strategy, introducing devices that do not require separate versions for different standards – such as the new H2 light switch and dimmer. This offers users more freedom and reduces the number of devices required for a comprehensive smart home system.
2. Thread 1.4 Update and Matter 1.3
A key topic at IFA was the update to Thread 1.4 . This update is intended to improve reliability and interoperability and enables support for newer features that will connect smart devices even more seamlessly in the future. Matter 1.3, launched in summer 2024, already supports a wide range of platforms and provides the basis for future smart home applications. These innovations are expected to further increase compatibility between devices and systems and cement Matter as the standard in the smart home market.
3. New household appliances from Bosch and Siemens
The Bosch-Siemens Home Appliances Group (BSH) announced Matter-enabled refrigerators and freezers that will offer basic settings such as temperature monitoring and energy management via Matter updates in early 2025. This integration facilitates the integration of home appliances into existing smart home systems such as Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Home.
4. New Matter-enabled devices from Aqara, Tado, and SwitchBot
Aqara, known for its innovative smart home products, introduced a range of new devices, such as the Garage Door Controller T2 Kit and the LED Bulb T2. Tado also introduced the Tado X-Series, which features smart thermostats and heat pump optimization to reduce heating costs. SwitchBot surprised with new Matter-enabled devices, such as the Roller Shade System and air quality monitors that can be connected via a hub.
5. Smart home hubs and AI integration from LG and other providers
LG unveiled the ThinQ ON AI, a hub that relies on "Affectionate Intelligence" and is designed to improve user interactions through AI. This hub not only offers Matter support but also simplifies user experience with AI-based features. This opens a new chapter in smart home automation, which could motivate other manufacturers to connect their devices and make them smarter with AI.
Conclusion
The developments at IFA 2024 demonstrate that Matter is gaining increasing traction as a standard, strengthened by innovations in interoperability, compatibility, and usability. In particular, the move toward dual-protocol devices and AI-assisted hubs demonstrates that manufacturers are focusing on flexible and intelligent solutions to make smart home technologies even simpler and more accessible.
These new solutions promise a closer connection between household appliances and smart home systems, making Matter a promising standard for the future of the connected home.
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