Matter 1.4 Brings Support for New Devices and Easier Integration to Smart Home Setups

Matter 1.4 adds enhanced interoperability features for smart home ecosystems like Apple's HomeKit, including multi-platform device support and expanded energy management.

matter iot standard
The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), the organization responsible for Matter, has now finalized version 1.4 of the specification (via The Verge), introducing a range of new device types and enhanced functionalities that promise to improve interoperability between smart home ecosystems, including ‌HomeKit‌.

Matter 1.4 introduces support for home routers and access points (HRAPs) that are certified to operate as both Wi-Fi access points and Thread border routers. This means that any Matter-certified HRAP device will be able to enhance network stability and simplify smart home connectivity. Thread border routers allow Matter-enabled devices to connect across a home, regardless of which company manufactures them, while Matter-certified routers can securely store and share Thread network credentials.

The update also introduces Enhanced Multi-Admin, which allows users to add Matter devices to multiple ecosystems automatically with a single authorization. For example, a smart light or thermostat could be added to both Apple Home and Google Home without the need for multiple setup processes. Enhanced Multi-Admin achieves this by enabling "Fabric Sync," a system that allows each Matter ecosystem to securely communicate with other ecosystems a user has authorized.

Matter 1.4 also broadens its support for energy management devices. New categories include heat pumps, water heaters, battery walls, and solar energy devices, such as solar inverters and hybrid solar/battery systems. Matter 1.4's expanded energy management options allow devices to adjust their energy consumption based on demand.

While it's unclear exactly when Apple will introduce support for Matter 1.4's features, the CSA's bi-annual release schedule suggests that Apple and other Matter supporters will implement elements of the specification over the next few years.

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
top stories 2025 04 19

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, CarPlay Bug Fix, and More

Saturday April 19, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
This week saw rumor updates on the iPhone 17 Pro and next-generation Vision Pro, while a minor iOS 18.4.1 update delivered not just security fixes but also a fix for some CarPlay issues. We also looked ahead at what else is in Apple's pipeline for the rest of 2025 and even the 20th-anniversary iPhone coming in 2027, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iPhone 17 ...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...

Top Rated Comments

Will Co Avatar
24 weeks ago
Seems to me to all be a bit of a mess - and I work in that line of business. There is very little clarity as to what devices support what, what hubs are needed, who will really interoperate with whom else. I think it's fair to say - it's not gone well. And I'm not sniping - I want it to go well.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
victorvictoria Avatar
24 weeks ago
So all that remains is convincing manufacturers to adopt Matter support. They're few and far between at this point. Nest products especially.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mozumder Avatar
24 weeks ago
Houses could be built around an expanded Matter protocol. General maintenance should also be part of the spec. I could use info on when air filters need to be replaced, when gutters need to be cleaned, if a drawer is left open, if sump pump is still working, if air quality is acceptable, when indoor plants need to be watered.. so much maintenance in a house needs to be automated.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Powerbooky Avatar
24 weeks ago
The last time I tried to use a Matter device (Eve Energy) it broke a part of my Thread network. All HomeKit only devices that were near and tried to connect to this Thread node, the Home app lost their connections. Maybe it's specific for Eve, but apparently HomeKit and Matter do not mix on the same Thread network.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ChrisA Avatar
24 weeks ago

My Aqara G4 video doorbell shows up in Home, but that brand suffers from requiring 2.4Ghz WiFi connection, and not supporting 5Ghz.
This is really common. They call it a "feature" but a bug. 2.4 GHz is better is going through walls then is 5 ghz. Almost all automation devices that use WiFi are 2.5 GHz only. This is not unique to Aqura. It is almost universal. And really how fast do you need to move data for a doorbell or a door lock? 5 ghz is not needed.

Home automation over WiFi needs a _VERY_ reliable 2.5 GHz network. Enough so that it is worth is to add a few access points around the house so that every device has the full "five bars". WiFi is my least preferred connection method because the last thing I want is for my lights to stop working if the router needs a reboot. I like Zigbee, Thread or even Lutron's proprietary radio links better than WiFi as they seem to be much more reliable. But still, WiFi can be made to work if you add enough access points. If the devices were 5 ghz, you would need even more APs.

You can use 5 ghz for the backhaul to the APs but Ethernet is more reliable if you can pull the cable.

Today, many times you can not find a Thread device, so I look for a Zigbee device. Only if this fails I am forced to WiFi. So I have a mix. While my goal is to have 100% matter over Thread, this is not possible in 2024.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
stocklen Avatar
24 weeks ago
Two questions...

1. How do we know what version of Matter Apple Home currently supports... and if and when they will support this newest iteration.

2. Enough with these obscure categories... when is video coming? I want my cameras in home as soon as possible and another year and version goes by and still no camera support.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)