K
Kathleen Martin
Guest
The final specification of Matter, the smart home interoperability protocol founded by Apple, Google, and Amazon, has been delayed by a few more months. While it was originally expected to be ready this fall, according to Tobin Richardson, the CEO of the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), that timeline has been pushed out until the first half of 2022, with members getting a sneak peak before voting on the spec at the end of this year.
That means we’ll have to wait until the first half of next year for the software development kit, the start of a formal certification program, and the first certified devices it turns out. When I asked Richardson if he could narrow that time frame down a bit, he declined. For consumers, it means the wait for new smart home devices that support the Matter protocol will be delayed until the latter half of 2022 (I can’t wait for our 2022 Gift Guide!) and for those developing products, it means they will need to hold off on their plans for a few more months.
Richardson gave several reasons why the Matter Working Group (formerly known as the Project Connected Home over IP Working Group) decided to delay the specification. They included the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the addition of another 29 companies to the Matter membership, and the challenge of delivering a high-quality software development kit as part of the spec.
The delay is disappointing, but it isn’t a huge shock. What the folks behind Matter are trying to do is audacious. The goal is to deliver an interoperable smart home protocol that lets devices talk to each other and share their capabilities. It will help cut through the challenges of building a smart home, where consumers have to worry if their light bulb will work with Alexa or Google, or if their door locks can talk to their security sensors. All Matter-certified devices will be able to work together; consumers will be able to choose from among multiple digital assistants, hubs, and apps as suits their needs.
The idea for Matter was launched in December 2019; participants expected the standard would be ready in about a year’s time. But then COVID happened, so the spec was delayed until the first half of 2021. Then in May, we learned that spec was delayed further, until the fall. But we did get several updates on its progress, including details about some of the planned features and supported devices. For those wondering, here’s what we know about Matter so far, and what we still don’t know.
Continue reading: https://staceyoniot.com/does-it-matter-smart-home-standard-is-delayed-until-2022/
That means we’ll have to wait until the first half of next year for the software development kit, the start of a formal certification program, and the first certified devices it turns out. When I asked Richardson if he could narrow that time frame down a bit, he declined. For consumers, it means the wait for new smart home devices that support the Matter protocol will be delayed until the latter half of 2022 (I can’t wait for our 2022 Gift Guide!) and for those developing products, it means they will need to hold off on their plans for a few more months.
Richardson gave several reasons why the Matter Working Group (formerly known as the Project Connected Home over IP Working Group) decided to delay the specification. They included the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the addition of another 29 companies to the Matter membership, and the challenge of delivering a high-quality software development kit as part of the spec.
The delay is disappointing, but it isn’t a huge shock. What the folks behind Matter are trying to do is audacious. The goal is to deliver an interoperable smart home protocol that lets devices talk to each other and share their capabilities. It will help cut through the challenges of building a smart home, where consumers have to worry if their light bulb will work with Alexa or Google, or if their door locks can talk to their security sensors. All Matter-certified devices will be able to work together; consumers will be able to choose from among multiple digital assistants, hubs, and apps as suits their needs.
The idea for Matter was launched in December 2019; participants expected the standard would be ready in about a year’s time. But then COVID happened, so the spec was delayed until the first half of 2021. Then in May, we learned that spec was delayed further, until the fall. But we did get several updates on its progress, including details about some of the planned features and supported devices. For those wondering, here’s what we know about Matter so far, and what we still don’t know.
Continue reading: https://staceyoniot.com/does-it-matter-smart-home-standard-is-delayed-until-2022/
