Bug fixes and developer improvements are the order of the day
The Connectivity Standards Alliance has announced the first major update to Matter, with bug fixes being rolled out to the smart home standard alongside a number of improvements for developers.
It’s been a turbulent time for the so-called unifying standard since it was unveiled and delivered last fall – and Matter in its current form is a bit of a mess – but this does represent the first notable set of upgrades.
The CSA notes in its blog post detailing the update that developers should now find it easier to get started with and receive certification, while bug fixes should ensure users have a better time of it, too – particularly if they own battery-powered Matter devices.
As described by the CSA, these ‘Intermittently Connected Devices’ (ICDs) should now be more cleanly integrated.
“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,” the blog post reads.
Despite some improvements coming through this update, though, this doesn’t necessarily appear to be the turning point that many were hoping for from Matter 1.1.
Instead, this represents more of a foundational step in order to enable a more exciting update coming later this year, with the CSA noting that “new features and device type support” are being planned.
With a new Matter Interoperability Test Facility opening in Portland, Oregon, too, progress could accelerate rapidly in the months between now and Matter 1.2. Stay tuned for more.