Matter officially arrived last fall to improve the smart home device experience across platforms. Now the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) – which includes Apple – has launched the first Matter update. The release comes with changes and improvements to make it easier for developers to get started with Matter and complete certification while end-users should have a better experience with battery-powered devices.
CSA shared all the details about Matter 1.1 in a blog post.
Today’s release of Matter 1.1 is the result of the collective effort of hundreds of companies and individuals who have gathered as members of the Connectivity Standards Alliance and contributed to the ongoing progress and success of this evolving technology. Matter 1.1 creates an improved path forward for developers, and new user experiences, preparing us for the next leg of Matter’s journey.
Here are the three main changes with version 1.1:
- Easier for device makers and developers to get started with Matter
- Easier to certify products they’ve developed and get them to users faster
- Enhanced support for battery-operated devices — an important feature across many smart home categories
End-user improvement
For consumers, Matter 1.1 improves support for battery-powered or Intermittently Connected Devices (ICDs).
Sometimes called “sleepy devices,” these are typically battery-powered devices like contact, motion, and temperature sensors as well as door locks and switches that need to conserve power for optimal operation and lifespan. The additional support reduces the likelihood that a device will be reported as offline when users or platforms interact with it. These improvements mean developers will find it easier to optimize their products and create better user experiences.
CSA also shared that there have been 1,135 devices certified with Matter so far with 17,991 downloads of the specification.
Developer improvements
On the developer side, CSA says feedback has helped shape version 1.1:
we’ve taken feedback and learning from members and early developers, and made clarifications and clean-up to the specification. This will make it easier for developers to dive in, understand and use the specification. It’s also easier for developers to contribute to the Matter specification, with better guidance for contributing support for new device types.
And testing automation has been improved to make it easier to get products certified:
new enhancements to testing automation make it easier for device makers to pre-qualify their products and verify they will pass certification. This is also an improvement for Authorized Testing Laboratories (ATLs) with improved automation making testing more efficient and comprehensive.
What’s next?
CSA set a goal of two releases per year. Now that the first has been delivered, the next version is slated to include new features and device-type support and will land “later this year.”
For those interested in joining the alliance, you can learn more on this landing page.
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