All Things Matter

The smart home world is converging; it may feel like an asymptote to the sky and the longest path to industry cooperation, but we live in a world where:

• Amazon, Apple, and Google are all contributing to the Matter software standard.
• Thread, an IP based twin radio cousing to ZigBee, is gaining market and mindshare as a physical mesh that serves as a low power alternative to WiFi.
• HomeAssistant stands as an open source solution as a central hub, with numerous other players such as Samsung and LG offering their own commercial hubs.
• With devices such as Amazon Alexa, Apple TV, and Google Home Speaker having built in Thread border routers, the need for dedicated hubs has the potential to go away entirely.

That said, the industry still struggles with its main players supporting varying versions of the Matter standard, other radio standards such as Z-Wave and Zigbee hold on to their part in the ecosystem, and companies chase AI voice assistants more dedicated to upselling their products rather than build a seamless ambient home where automations work without interactions.

All Things Matter will cover the industry with opinionated takes and human written articles. We are optimistic that the industry is moving in the right direction, but it’s a lurching beast with scores of tentacles into other business interests, in a market where every home needs to be tailored to the unique needs and personality of its owner. Nirvana awaits, but the path is strewn with broken standards and blind alleys. All Things Matter will be your guide on this journey.