Since smart devices and hubs started appearing on the market, the lack of compatibility among brands and devices has been a big problem. Right now, you have to choose your home automation systems carefully or you might not find enough compatible devices, and you may have to juggle multiple apps to control your home. The CSA aims to change that by developing Matter. A standard could diminish interoperability woes and erase the need for the tinkering involved in connecting incompatible devices to an automation system. Also: The 4 best smart home hubs Matter should let you add a Blink camera natively into your Apple HomeKit ecosystem, for example, with extensive support across technologies and manufacturers. So instead of devices having a list of all the supported home assistants they can work with, many will simply come with a Matter logo. At the end of the day, Matter should simplify the smart home business for both manufacturers and consumers. It would be pretty sweet to not have to worry about which brand works with which or which devices support what assistant when choosing a video doorbell or a security camera, and just choose the brands you like. Also: The 5 best smart speakers The big question is when Matter will become available. The new standard in smart home connectivity was supposed to launch before the end of 2021. We’re past the halfway mark of 2022 and still discussing smart home bridges. But the CSA has committed to a launch in fall of this year.
