Our homes are gradually becoming smarter. From the socket to the refrigerator, almost everything can now be controlled via an app. Although this is extremely practical, it has since had the disadvantage that smart home devices from different manufacturers have not always been compatible. The Matter standard aims to change that.
Philips, a popular manufacturer of smart lighting, actually wanted to update its Hue Bridge in the first quarter of 2023, which should be equipped with Matter. Well became announced on Hue’s blogthat the Matter update will be postponed.
Philips Hue Matter update likely months away
Matter was launched in November 2022 and Philips Hue announced at the time that it would publish an update for its smart home center by March at the latest. So far, the Hue Bridge will remain as it is – and that won’t change anytime soon.
“Since Philips Hue is focused on quality, we will take a little more time before rolling out the Philips Hue Bridge software update to all consumers to really get it right and meet consumer expectations.”
Kelly Gramuglia from Signifiy (owner of Philips Hue) to The Verge
When the update should appear, is yet unknown. The blog entry states that it will probably take months.
What exactly does the update bring?
When the update comes out, every Hue light – even the first smart bulb from 2012 – will be compatible with the Matter standard as long as you use the Hue Bridge. This means that you could, for example, control your old Hue lamps with an app from another manufacturer.
But there is also a few weaknesses – for now. Two Hue devices will not be compatible: the Tap Dial Switch and the Hue Play Sync Box.
In addition, Alexa and Samsung SmartThings Matter controllers do not yet master bridging. This means that the Hue lights will not work in these systems until it is filed later.
And as if that wasn’t enough, Google’s and Amazon’s smart home apps don’t yet rule Matter on iOS devices.
The new connection standard will therefore still need a while before it can really connect every smart device with one another. Despite this, Matter continues to be a great way to expand existing systems or to help newcomers enter the world of smart homes.
Are you already eagerly awaiting Matter? What devices are you currently using at home? Have you already had experience with Matter? Do you have any smart gadgets at all? If yes, which connection standard do they use? Let us know your opinions and experiences in the comments!
