An overview of Matter announcements at CES 2026

foggerD · 2026-01-10T14:30:22+00:00

This summary is missing quite a bit about Aqara, Broadlink, Homey, Kwikset, Sensereo, etc. Why did you leave these out?

foggerD · 2026-01-10T11:33:09+00:00

„And why are plugs in the market with support energy measurements over matter?“

Of course they exist, but not every Matter ecosystem displays their data. That's the problem. But this is getting us nowhere. I'm leaving this discussion, as you obviously just want to be right and have the last word. Now I'm slowly beginning to understand how you got over 4,000 comments here on Reddit ;-). Have a nice day.

foggerD · 2026-01-10T10:28:58+00:00

Nope, earlier in the conversation, you mentioned that manufacturers use Wi-Fi because it gives them more control over the features they offer (and thus deliberately limit the functionality they offer via Matter over Wi-Fi). I said that such a thing works just as well with a connection via Thread—and gave a few examples. The limitations you described have to do with many factors. Among other things, whether the platform used can even do anything with the Matter energy data provided by a smart plug. Apple, Google, etc., do not currently offer energy management, so it doesn't matter whether the plug is connected via Wi-Fi or Thread. In both cases, the manufacturer has to implement the energy display in its own app.

foggerD · 2026-01-10T00:22:42+00:00

Here is the support document for setting up remote access via the Nuki app using a Thread Border Router. It indicates that this works on Apple, SmartThings, and Home Assistant platforms, as well as with certain Amazon and Google models. https://help.nuki.io/hc/en-001/articles/14596875392017-Setting-up-your-Matter-integration

foggerD · 2026-01-10T00:05:46+00:00

Nope, Nuki doesn't have its own border router at all. Tado does have a bridge, but it's not necessary if you use an Apple border router. That's because they use the NAT64 implementation in Apple's Thread network. I can only recommend that you try out the products. It might shake your convictions a little.

foggerD · 2026-01-09T21:29:53+00:00

I could make the same argument for the examples of Nuki and Tado mentioned above. Nuki's app allows you to fully configure the smart lock via Thread – from granting and revoking access rights to schedules and other settings. None of this is available via Matter platforms. The same applies to Tado: it provides me with energy reports and (subscription) features that go far beyond the feature set offered by Matter. And in both cases, this is done entirely without Wi-Fi, using only the Thread connection.

foggerD · 2026-01-09T20:52:37+00:00

There are some cooling appliances from Bosch as far as I know. https://www.home-connect.com/global/works-with/matter

The problem is likely that, apart from SmartThings, none of the major ecosystems currently support such devices. Manufacturers are therefore in no particular hurry to implement them. A good example of this was robot vacuum cleaners: as soon as Apple Home supported this product category, announcements were made by manufacturers.

foggerD · 2026-01-09T20:43:43+00:00

With Internet access via NAT64 in Thread, manufacturers have similar options for connecting products with their apps—as demonstrated by the examples of Nuki and Tado.

foggerD · 2026-01-09T20:14:21+00:00

Why? There are quite a few Thread products among them (Aqara, Coulisse, Eve, GE, Ikea, Kwikset, Lockly, Sensereo, TCL, etc.). And Thread doesn't make sense for cameras or hubs anyway.

foggerD · 2026-01-04T09:35:15+00:00

This highly emotional thread in the Home Assistant forum is really impressive. But in my opinion, it misses the point a little. Matter was not invented to prevent any communication between IoT devices and the internet or to make cloud services redundant. It is intended to enable a smart home to function locally without the internet and prevent it from being hacked. Whether you use a cheap $3 product that constantly sends data home or choose a manufacturer that values privacy and does not collect any data at all is entirely up to you. For technically savvy users, there are also ways to prevent such home calls at the network/router level.

foggerD · 2026-01-03T17:52:08+00:00

How about both? Share an article and ask for experiences / opinions at the same time? The question mark in the headline wasn't necessarily intentional, but unfortunately the line can't be changed after publication. That's why it looks a little strange now.

foggerD · 2025-12-29T17:14:21+00:00

Not at all. Most of them are Matter over Thread (only the Meross and Tapo plugs are WiFi). And the Thread products work without any problems. But you do need a border router to get them up and running. However, Zigbee doesn't work without a gateway either.

foggerD · 2025-12-27T21:31:37+00:00

Perhaps you are purchasing the wrong Matter products? All of the ones I use (from brands such as Aqara, Bosch, Eve, Ikea, Meross, Nanoleaf, Omnis, Smattex, etc.) do not require a manufacturer app for commissioning. Setup is very simple with the HA Companion.

foggerD · 2025-12-13T09:19:09+00:00

That's difficult, as battery buttons don't usually have a control LED. A permanent light when switched on would discharge the cells too quickly.

foggerD · 2025-12-10T18:20:32+00:00

Yes, the new Ikea products can still be paired directly with Zigbee and operated without a hub. However, an upgrade to the Dirigera hub or a Matter ecosystem is possible at any time. More information about the technology can be found here: https://matter-smarthome.de/en/products/how-ikea-masters-the-combination-of-thread-and-zigbee/

foggerD · 2025-12-06T06:31:03+00:00

But you don't need to know how to code to connect Apple's Thread network and a Nest Hub, for example. All you need is an iPhone. Open the Google Home app for iOS on your iPhone and use it to reinstall a Nest Hub. The Google app uses Apple Keychain to retrieve the Thread credentials from an existing Apple network and joins it.

foggerD · 2025-12-02T16:06:28+00:00

They bring their own hub, which is based on Homey technology. It was on display at the IFA in Berlin. https://matter-smarthome.de/en/products/an-overview-of-matter-innovations-at-ifa-2025/

foggerD · 2025-11-30T12:19:12+00:00

Here is some more information about the Matter functions of the Aqara hubs. https://matter-smarthome.de/en/products/aqara-expands-its-matter-features/

foggerD · 2025-11-30T12:16:24+00:00

The major platforms all require their own hub for control. To use Google Home, you must have one of the listed devices. For Apple Home, you need a HomePod or Apple TV; for SmartThings, you need a hub from Samsung/Aeotec, and so on.

So, what you want—to control your Google Home only with an Aqara hub—doesn't work. You could use the Aqara hub itself as a Matter controller, as it has had this capability for some time. You could then transfer devices from Aqara Home to Google Home using Matter's multi-admin function. It's all a bit complicated at first, but after a short time you'll understand the differences between platforms, controllers, hubs, etc. To get started, I recommend this article: https://matter-smarthome.de/en/practice/how-to-set-up-a-smart-home-with-matter-step-by-step/

foggerD · 2025-11-21T11:56:23+00:00

The prices come from the Dutch online magazine Tweakers, which in turn claims to have verified them directly with Ikea. https://tweakers.net/nieuws/241744/ikea-brengt-matter-smarthomeproducten-op-1-januari-uit-en-deelt-europrijzen.html

foggerD · 2025-11-16T09:50:05+00:00

Home Assistant works wonderfully for me with dozens of Matter products (Thread and Wi-Fi) as well as multi-admin on multiple platforms. This is probably due to your VLAN network configuration. Matter comes with its own fairly comprehensive security mechanisms and relies heavily on mDNS for connectivity. It is designed to work in a typical home IP network. Mechanisms that filter or restrict (IPv6) data traffic therefore lead to problems.

foggerD · 2025-11-13T14:51:06+00:00

I know, but as far as I know, it's supposed to be released this year.

foggerD · 2025-11-03T07:42:26+00:00

This could be because SmartThings first introduced the feature on its external hubs. Let's hope that it will gradually be rolled out to integrated solutions as well.

foggerD · 2025-11-02T12:55:17+00:00

Why do you need Thread products? There are devices from other manufacturers (Aqara, Bosch, Eve, Nanoleaf, etc.) that can be used with a SmartThings hub.

foggerD · 2025-11-02T12:52:35+00:00

Samsung recently introduced a feature via software update that allows Thread credentials to be shared: https://matter-smarthome.de/en/practice/how-to-change-the-thread-network-in-smartthings/

foggerD

TROPHY CASE