Although Matter is officially released, you still cannot buy Matter compatible devices to use the new smart home standard. Smart home device maker Simatop today announced its first Matter-enabled smart plug, the Matter Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini. You can pre-order now for the December 31st release.
It may be the first device you can buy with the Matter logo indicating it’s ready to go out of the box. While several companies have announced updates to existing products, including Eve and Wiz, who have said they will release firmware updates to existing products this year, most of the mentioned devices with built-in Matter won’t be available until next year.
The Simatop Matter Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini costs $49.99 for two, but the company is offering a 50 percent discount for pre-ordering through its website. According to the Simatop product page, this Wi-Fi smart plug works specifically with Matter, and to set it up, the plug will use Matter’s QR code and pair with the Matter controller.
Currently, only Apple and Samsung SmartThings support the new standard in their apps and hubs, so you’ll need to use the Apple Home app and HomePod Mini or Apple TV, or the SmartThings Hub app and SmartThings to use the device until more platforms are available. added Added support for Matter.
Matter is a new standard for smart home connectivity that provides a common language for smart home devices to communicate locally within the home without relying on a cloud connection. It uses Wi-Fi and Thread wireless protocols and will include smart sensors, smart lighting, smart sockets and switches, smart thermostats, connected locks, and media devices including TVs at launch.
All of this means that if you buy a Matter-branded smart home device, you can set it up and use it with any Matter-compatible device and any Matter-compatible platform. Substance-compatible devices should start showing up by the end of the year.
Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, and Apple Home are some of the major smart home platforms that have signed up to support Matter, and we expect to see updates to these platforms in the coming months.
Amazon said it will add support for its Smart Plug and Matter over Wi-Fi ecosystem this year. Once it’s delivered, you’ll be able to connect the plug to your Echo smart speaker. Also, Google has been one of Matter’s biggest supporters, and while the company hasn’t announced when it will support Matter, it will likely be sooner rather than later.
While Simatop has promised to support Matter in future products, it has confirmed that its existing products will not be updated. A range of smart devices, including smart sockets, switches, lights and smart door controllers, is already available across all major ecosystems. One of Matter’s key features is multi-admin management, the ability to manage your devices simultaneously with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple Home, and Samsung SmartThings. Most Simatop devices can already do this.
Going forward, however, buying a Matter device should help protect your smart home from the future. Matter is an open source standard, so compatible devices will work on any Matter compatible platform, not just the big four.
Post time: Nov-25-2022