The article discusses the current state of Matter, a new smart home protocol that aims to provide a unified infrastructure for different devices and platforms. The author, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, shares her experience with setting up a Tapo Matter smart plug across multiple platforms, including Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings.
Key Findings:
- Frustrating experience: Trying to use Matter outside of a single platform is an exercise in frustration.
- Limited compatibility: Currently, only Samsung SmartThings allows adding a Matter device to either Android or iOS devices.
- Delayed apps: Amazon’s iOS app and Google’s version are still in development and expected to be released later this spring.
- Thread support: Thread support is also delayed, with Amazon promising to enable it on its Echo smart speakers and Eero Wi-Fi routers this spring.
- Device availability: New Matter devices will become available starting from late March or early summer.
Recommendations:
- Wait until Spring: Consider waiting for the next few months to see if some of these issues get resolved before investing in Matter-enabled devices.
- Choose a single platform: If you’re already invested in one smart home platform, consider sticking with it and using non-Matter devices that are compatible with your chosen platform.
Device Options:
- Tapo: The cheapest Matter smart plug available, but limited to Android phone usage until the Apple Home app for Android is released.
- Meross: A more expensive option ($49.99) that has a lower maximum load and can only be used in the bottom outlet of a standard outlet.
- Eve Energy: A $40 Matter-over-Thread smart plug due to be released at the end of March, with detailed energy usage stats but no compatibility with Alexa.
Conclusion:
While Matter has the potential to provide a stronger underlying infrastructure for the smart home, it’s not there yet. The author encourages readers to wait until Spring before investing in Matter-enabled devices and using multiple platforms.