Google has announced the arrival of Matter on its existing Nest and Android devices. Matter- the latest connectivity standard and an answer to the interoperability issue between smart devices from different brands, allows IoT devices to communicate seamlessly through a common communication language.
For better understanding of what is Matter, take this example. Say you have a smart speaker from Google but the smart lights in your home are from some other brand. You will not be able to control your smart lights through voice command unless it is Google compatible. This is the interoperability issue that Matter will solve. The technology ensures that all the devices that are Matter-certified can seamlessly communicate with each other so that user can pick IoT devices of his or her own choice rather than being forced to own a particular brand’s ecosystem.
Google enabling Matter on its Nest devices and existing Android devices means that Google devices are now ready to connect to Matter devices from other brands. You don’t have to do anything extra for this, just like a software update on your phone, your existing Google Nest and Android devices have been automatically updated for Matter compatibility.
The Android devices need to run Android 8.1 and up and Google Play Services 22.48.14, while Google Nest devices need the latest firmware updates for the interoperability. Google’s first round of extending Matter support includes the Google Home app, Android OS, Nest Mini, Nest Audio, Nest Hub (first and second gen), Nest Hub Max, Nest WiFi Pro, Google Home, and Google Home Mini. The company says that more Nest devices are set to come in early 2023 along with iOS support to the Google Home app.
Google has partnered with Samsung to offer a seamless multi-admin experience. It is scheduled to come in 2023. Multi-admin feature takes the interoperability promise from Matter a level higher. The functionality allows a device in one ecosystem to be shared with and controlled by another.
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