As promised, Amazon Alexa brings Matter support to iOS
Amazon Alexa users can now set up Matter devices with iOS. The move, which affects several Amazon Echo devices, makes connecting devices much easier for smart home users.
Matter enables IP (internet protocol) networking between devices using Bluetooth Low Energy and Wi-Fi. In doing so, devices that once weren’t able to connect wirelessly can do so in a unified manner. The three most prominent players in tech support Matter, including Amazon, Apple, Google, and other smart home brands.
Late last year, Amazon rolled out Matter to 17 Echo devices. At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January, the company announced it would bring the standards to more devices, including thermostats, blinds, and sensors.
That news became a reality with the new Matter update for Alexa. In doing so, it brings the total number of supported Matter devices to over 100 million.
As part of the update, Amazon made the second-generation Echo, Echo Plus, and Echo Dot Matter controllers. The Echo (4th Gen) is also a Thread border router. This means Echo (4th) generation customers now expand their smart homes with Matter-enabled Thread devices, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Mesh, and Matter-enabled Wi-Fi devices.
Amazon Alexa meets Eve
In addition, Amazon has also announced that with Alexa supporting Matter over Thread, Eve devices can now use more of its developer programs. These include Works with Alexa (WWA) and Frustration-Free Setup (FFS). Eve offers smart devices covering lighting, security, heating and air quality, energy, and more.
According to Jerome Gackel, CEO of Eve Systems: “One of our biggest challenges being at the forefront of bringing the first Matter over Thread devices to customers’ homes is to ensure they have the right infrastructure at home to connect to our devices. With Alexa’s WWA badge and Thread support on millions of Echos already in customers’ homes, creating this seamless customer journey will be vastly accelerated.”
With WWA, products get Amazon’s approval for Alexa voice control. To be certified, the products must meet specific requirements. Products with the WWA label are available in the Amazon Smart Home Store and the Amazon Works with Alexa Store. Meanwhile, FFS simplifies the device setup experience for Alexa users by making them quicker to get online following their first power-on.
Bryan M. Wolfe
