Matter Smart Home Standard Officially Launches, Support Could Come in iOS 16.1

The Matter 1.0 smart home accessory standard was officially launched by the Connectivity Standards Alliance and its members.

Apple will be able to integrate Matter into HomeKit very soon because companies that have agreed to support Matter now have all of the resources they need to begin implementing Matter into their platforms. With the launch of the update, Matter could be announced.

"What started as a mission to unravel the complexities of connectivity has resulted in Matter, a single, global IP-based protocol that will fundamentally change the IoT," said Tobin Richardson, President and CEO of the Connectivity Standards Alliance. "This release is the first step on a journey our community and the industry are taking to make the IoT more simple, secure, and valuable no matter who you are or where you live. With global support from companies large and small, today's Matter 1.0 release is more than a milestone for our organization and our members; it is a celebration of what is possible."

With the Matter 1.0 launch, authorized test labs are now available for product certification, tools are available, and the open-sourced reference design kit is complete. As soon as their products are certified, alliance members can update their products with Matter support.

HomeKit devices can work with other smart home devices if Matter is an internet of things standard. Smart home devices can communicate with the cloud and Thread is an energy efficient mesh network in the home.

The first release of Matter will support a wide range of smart home products, according to the Connectivity Standards Alliance.