What you need to know
- The CSA highlighted the arrival of its Matter 1.4 upgrade for smart homes.
- The update adds support for more devices like water heaters and heat pumps, as well as improved thermostat support for preset modes.
- Matter rolled out its 1.3 upgrade earlier this year, where it welcomed EV chargers and smart home appliances.
The CSA continues its mission to improve the connectivity of consumers' smart home devices as the latest major upgrade rolls out.
Yet again, the CSA (Connectivity Standards Alliance) detailed a host of newly supported smart home devices for the 1.4 update. According to the post, Matter connectivity now supports solar-powered devices such as inverters, individual and panel arrays, and hybrid solar/battery systems. Batteries (battery walls, storage units, etc.) are also said to be supported with the latest update.
In time for the colder months, the CSA states Matter welcomes Heat Pumps and Water Heaters. The post states that the connectivity's "energy management" capabilities should aid homeowners with (power) consumption forecasts alongside the ability to "adjust" its usage during peak hours. For the latter, the CSA says the 1.4 upgrade adds a new "Water Heater Mode Cluster." This is designed to bring a toggling feature for set schedules.
Moreover, thermostats receive support for scheduling and "preset modes." The CSA states that its supported preset modes include "home/away and vacation." The post adds that presets can be triggered via motion detection, calendar events, and integration with other devices.
The CSA highlights support for electric vehicle supply equipment and its "Device Energy Management" to help users optimize the energy usage of their smart home products.
Battery-powered devices receive enhancements to help "optimize" battery life and communication with switches, buttons, and sensors.
Elsewhere, the post states the 1.4 upgrade introduces better "Multi-Admin" support. The CSA informs users that this should help make management easier as it brings "single user consent" for devices. In short, homeowners can seamlessly connect new or existing smart home devices to "multiple ecosystems automatically."
The Alliance is also upgrading its Matter-certified HRAP devices to combine a home's Wi-Fi access point and Thread Border Router. The post states this is designed to strengthen the required infrastructure for other Matter products.
The 1.4 upgrade is available now; however, it may take a while before a given platform integrates it for users.
Matter's latest update is the second rollout in 2024, as its 1.3 upgrade arrived in May. That update brought support and energy management controls for EV chargers alongside home appliances. Water management devices were also roped into the Matter connectivity push as the CSA included "leak and freeze detectors, rain sensors, and controllable water valves."
It's worth noting that Google was spotted preparing enhanced Matter-supported device controls over the Thread network. Devices that contain the appropriate Thread radio may receive increased efficiency and "performance enhancements" through Android 15.
