What is Matter IoT Protocol? | Advantages of Matter Protocol

This page describes the features of the Matter protocol used in IoT (Internet of Things). It also highlights the benefits and advantages of the Matter protocol.

Introduction

Smart home systems have been in use for several years. These systems often involve devices with different technologies and protocols from various manufacturers. This fragmentation has created challenges for both consumers and manufacturers.

Consumers often have to deal with multiple apps, gateways, and integration aspects to manage their smart home devices. Manufacturers, on the other hand, have to spend more time and resources to support multiple technologies and protocols.

To address these challenges, the CSA (Connectivity Standards Alliance) launched Project CHIP in December 2019. The goal was to create a unified standard that enables seamless integration of different devices in a smart home environment. The first CHIP specification was released in May 2020.

The project aimed to create a standard that works across different device categories, including switches, lights, door locks, thermostats, and more. Moreover, the standard should be easy to use, scalable, secure, and reliable. In December 2020, the project was renamed “Matter.”

The project is backed by major technology companies, including Google, Apple, Amazon, and others.

What is Matter Protocol?

Matter is the foundation for connected things. As mentioned, it was formerly known as Project CHIP (Connected Home over IP), and it’s an open standard communication protocol developed by the CSA in collaboration with major companies like Google, Apple, and Amazon.

Matter is an application layer standard that unifies the smart home industry. It offers reliable and secure connections between devices from various manufacturers, ensuring that devices work seamlessly together. This simplifies development for manufacturers and increases compatibility for consumers.

The Matter protocol is designed to provide a unified and interoperable communication standard for smart home devices, including smart lights, smart appliances, smart thermostats, and other IoT devices.

As shown in the figure, it is developed on top of the standard IP (Internet Protocol) layer. It uses common networking technologies such as WiFi, Ethernet, and Thread to enable communication between the devices. The Matter application layer defines application-level protocols and data models for various device types. It includes protocols for device discovery, device control, device pairing, etc., to enable interoperability among different types of Matter devices.

There are various Matter-enabled devices available in the market from major technology companies and manufacturers, including Apple Homekit, Amazon Echo, Google Nest, Philips Hue, etc.

Benefits or Advantages of Matter Protocol

Following are the benefits and advantages of the Matter protocol:

• Interoperability: Matter offers a unified standard that allows different types of devices from various manufacturers to work together seamlessly within the same smart home ecosystem. This interoperability makes it easy for users to add, control, and manage devices from different manufacturers.
• Simplified Development: Matter offers a standardized and well-defined communication framework for developers and manufacturers. Moreover, proprietary protocol development is not required. Hence, it reduces development costs, reduces time to market, and streamlines device development.
• Enhanced Security: The Matter protocol uses end-to-end encryption and secure authentication to ensure secure communication between devices. This protects sensitive data and prevents unauthorized access.
• Scalability and Flexibility: Matter works across various network types such as WiFi, Ethernet, Thread, etc. Hence, it is scalable and flexible in terms of deployment options.
• Industry Backing: Major companies such as Apple, Google, and Amazon are involved in its development and adoption. This brings trust and confidence to consumers.
• Coexistence: It works in co-existence with other smart home protocols such as Zigbee, Z-wave, etc., without requiring a complete overhaul of existing systems. This allows a smooth transition to Matter-based networks while protecting existing investments.
• Cloud Connectivity: Matter offers cloud connectivity, which allows cloud-based device management, remote device access, and integration with other cloud services.