Matter 1.0 launched in October 2022 with a certification program and tools for device makers. The Connectivity Standards Alliance announced the release.
I had held off buying more smart-home gear because my Alexa-only devices and an Eve Thread device didn’t work together cleanly. A standard sounded like the way out. I also knew a specification wouldn’t update my existing devices by magic. Manufacturers had to ship and support compatible firmware, and pairing had to survive an ordinary router restart. I wanted fewer compatibility checks before checkout, not another logo on the box.
Apple’s iOS support and Ikea’s Dirigera hub made the launch promising. The useful test remained the boring one: whether the devices already in my home could stay connected.