What really Matters in the Smart Home?

Benoit Bourdon, Lead Product Manager & Senior Product Manager at Netatmo explains how the latest Matter standard enables advanced device interoperability for the smart home.

Until now, there has been plenty of challenges associated with the smart home and the incredible array of smart home technologies, voice assistants, applications and connected solutions have been a source of confusion and frustration for many mainstream users.

Today’s smart home is spread across many brands, with many different values, protocols, and products. One of the biggest barriers to adoption has been that a consumer might buy a Netatmo Smart Thermostat, and shutters from another brand, but it’s unclear if they will work together in your home, or with any connected smart home products that you may already own.

Matter changes all of that. It means that more and more manufacturers of smart home technology will be able to ensure compatibility with other brands and products. It extends the possibilities for interaction between those products and simplifies the use of voice assistants.

The Matter standard generalises and promotes the smart home; transforming it into something to be used and loved by all consumers. Whether a customer wants an Amazon home, a Google home, or an independent smart home comprised of a mix and match of different products from their favourite companies, Matter ensures that they can develop a smart home ecosystem that is personal to them.

When everything is speaking the same language, customers will be able to plug devices in with end user ecosystems and know that smart technology will actually make their lives easier rather than more complicated.

In a Matter ecosystem, Netatmo’s Smart Security Sensor can improve home security and comfort equally.

Launching our new Thread-enabled Smart Security Sensor at CES 2022 was a truly great start to the year. It’s our very first (but certainly not our last) product under the new Matter standard, specifically designed to improve home security and comfort, so Netatmo can continue to simplify smart home access for everyone.

All of our smart home products with both connected features and smart features have always been designed to be compatible with all the main ecosystems such as Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Matter will accelerate this strategy for us and make it easier for us to continue to be compatible with all of these ecosystems, but also to have a deeper integration with them, and include smart features rather than just the basic features.

With the other 220 or so member companies of the Connectivity Standard Alliance, we have worked within the Legrand Group to develop a communication standard that increases the interoperability of smart home products, regardless of brand. It means that as long as a connected device is compatible with the Matter standard, that device will work together harmoniously with other Matter-enabled products. It is a game-changer for absolutely everyone.

The open-source element of Matter is so important.

With Thread and Matter compatibility, the Netatmo Smart Security Sensor can interact with all compatible products, regardless of brand. Netatmo’s Smart Security Sensor can be programmed to switch security cameras on and lights off when a family leaves the house, turn the heating on when it senses that someone is in the room, and to turn it back off when that person leaves, to open the shutters when owners come downstairs in the morning, or turn on Air Conditioning or lights when a presence is detected. Customers can create automations for when they’re out of the house, staying in, or due to arrive home. It will be an incredibly useful product to a lot of people and maximise the value of other brands’ products too.

As a devoted and passionate stakeholder in the new Matter standard, Netatmo will continue to work towards opening up smart home access to as many consumers as possible. We will innovate with Matter in mind and are all excited to see what the future holds.

Watch this space!

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