Version 1.0 of the specification was published on Oct. 4. The Matter specification is provided at no charge upon request after providing full name, company name, email address and consenting to their privacy policy, but cannot be redistributed without permission from CSA. The Matter software development kit is open source under the Apache license.

Standard Avoids the Use of Multiple, Proprietary Hubs

The standard is based on Internet Protocol (IP) and works through one or several compatible border routers, avoiding the use of multiple proprietary hubs. Matter products run locally and do not rely on an internet connection, although the standard is designed to talk to the cloud easily.

It is intended to enable cross-platform of smart home devices, mobile apps, and cloud services, and defines a specific set of IP-based networking technologies for device certification.

The project group is also expected to be joined by some other board member companies of Zigbee Alliance.

Matter Will Simplify Efforts of Smart Apt Providers

Henry Pye, VP – Resident Technology Services, RealPage, said that long term, Matter could be essential to multifamily tech as it would simplify efforts by IoT/Smart Apartment provides.

"In theory, it will also allow residents to add their own devices more quickly to a multifamily IoT solution – or even more theoretically possibly enable a resident to add a unit or community's smart devices to their software solution like Apple Homekit," Pye said.

However, there are challenges, and there will likely be delays, Pye said.

"Communities will probably have to replace older devices and network equipment, including edge devices," he said.

It is still early; the Connectivity Standards Alliance just released the first version of the standard WHEN. The second version is due in 2024.

"As for developers, Matter will make IoT solutions better and easier," Pye said.

"As with most technology, if Matter allows new combinations, it will create new functions and utility. It is these additional abilities that community developers, managers, and owners need to follow."

Matter's PR Creates Buzz, Confusion

Lucas Haldeman, CEO, SmartRent, leads one of the approximately 200 companies that are part of the Matter Alliance.

"Matter has done a really good job at marketing itself, but we don't yet know if it's as good as they say it is," Haldeman said. "Its marketing efforts have brought the concept of Matter to the minds of multifamily operators already and It has created a buzz."

He said he's had clients and others asking about it. "In some cases, it's from people who we would not have thought would even know about it, so it's definitely on people's minds. And again, because the marketing was so good, it has also created some confusion in the space."

He said Matter is a situation where you have Apple, Google, Amazon, and Samsung all agreeing on one thing, "and that's pretty rare. The concept is a fantastic one. However, what it describes itself as is plausible, but it's not yet 'in the wild.' "

First Matter Products Expected in 2023

Because the first standards were just published, Haldeman said he would anticipate the first Matter products to come to market in 2023.

SmartRent hubs bring together several applications such as locks, cameras, and thermostats. Its hubs are hardware agnostic already, which is sort of the point with Matter, he said.

In 2023, SmartRent hubs will have a Matter chip in them and should be available next year, according to Haldeman.

"They will support Matter but can operate under any current connectivity technology you have in place ie. Z-wave, Zigbee," he said. "Upgrading an existing SmartRent Hub with a Matter chip is inexpensive. Hubs will continue to work whether they have a Matter chip or not and there would be no change in the resident's experience."

Haldeman said that Matter will likely have a more prominent role in single-family homes compared to apartments because many homeowners tend to DIY their smart home technology and will need tech like Matter in place to make all their one-off solutions work together.

Renters can integrate their own tech into a SmartRent Hub with the Matter chip such as lights, plugs and voice assistants, but they aren't going to be changing out locks, thermostats, etc., so their overall rental experience won't change, he said.

Version 2.0 of the specification is planned to include support for robotic vacuum cleaners, ambient motion and presence sensing, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, environmental sensing and controls, closure sensors, energy management, Wi-Fi access points, cameras and major appliances.