Matter 1.4 is here, and with it the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) has made some important fixes in an effort to get back on track with its aim of a universal interoperable smart home standard. This latest iteration has replaced Multi-Admin with Enhanced Multi-Admin, which largely automates the addition of new Matter devices in multiple ecosystems. It introduces Matter certifiable home routers and access points, allowing border gear manufactured by different companies to work together more seamlessly and accommodates dimmable lighting. The 1.4 update incorporates heat pumps, solar panels and home batteries, but ignores home security cameras.

Engadget cites “the platform’s struggles to deliver on its promise of a smooth and headache-free smart home,” but notes that Enhanced Multi-Admin is a step in the right direction. Those critical of the company’s progress to date perhaps underestimate the difficulty of launching a global standard.

The CSA news release says that Matter products are “now in millions of homes around the world,” though it does not specify how many of those households are using the built-in networking capabilities. It calls the 1.4 improvements “a significant step forward,” made possible by “the support of hundreds of member companies and the dedication of thousands of engineers and product experts globally.”

The Verge reports “slow adoption by companies like Apple, Amazon and Google” and “frustrating setup experiences” for consumers.

Enhanced Multi-Admin aims to ease, if not solve, the latter issue, making it easier for users to connect Matter devices to multiple smart home systems — Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit — with single-user consent, “enabling existing and new devices to connect to multiple ecosystems automatically.”

The CSA announcement details improvements that include “enhancements to occupancy sensing” and “on/off and dimmable load control” for controlling “lights, fans and other non-smart appliances” using an in-wall smart device.

The Matter 1.4 release is comprised of specs that makers of devices and platforms now must begin integrating in their products as features in order for them to have any effect. “Based on the slow rollout of support for devices and features in previous versions of Matter across both manufacturers and the major platforms, it could be a while until we see any impact from Matter 1.4,” The Verge concludes.

Related:
Matter of Fact: Why the New Standard Could Derail the Future of Smart Homes, CNET, 9/28/24
How to Use the Matter Smart Home Standard, Popular Science, 9/13/24
Here’s How I Built a Matter Smart Home, Pocket-lint, 9/12/24