The Tech Explained: Ecosystems & Protocols

Ever bought a smart light that wouldn’t work with your Apple Home? Or a smart plug that needed its own app, cluttering your phone screen? That’s been the biggest frustration with smart homes — devices that don’t talk to each other, forcing you to stick with one brand or juggle multiple apps.

Matter fixes that.

What is Matter?

Matter is a new, open standard that lets smart devices from different brands work together.

Think of it as a universal language for your smart home. A Matter-certified bulb can be controlled by Google Home, Apple Home, and Alexa simultaneously.

Matter isn’t owned by one company. It’s backed by Apple, Google, Amazon, Samsung, and hundreds more — all working to make smart homes simple and compatible.