The Connectivity Standards Alliance has announced the release of Matter 1.2, the second update to the Matter standard.

Matter 1.2 – now available for device manufacturers and platforms – brings a slew of enhancements, including nine new device types, core specification improvements, and robust certification and testing tools.

New device types

Matter 1.2 introduces support for a range of new devices, enhancing interoperability and security. These include:

1. Refrigerators: In addition to basic temperature control, this device type encompasses a wide range of related appliances, including deep freezers and specialised fridges designed for items such as wine.
2. Room air conditioners: Standalone units with temperature and fan mode control.
3. Dishwashers: Featuring remote start, progress notifications, and operational error alerts.
4. Laundry washers: Providing cycle completion notifications.
5. Robotic vacuums: Supporting various cleaning modes and detailed status reporting.
6. Smoke & carbon monoxide alarms: Notifications, audio-visual signals, and self-testing features.
7. Air quality sensors: Reporting on various pollutants with location-based AQI information.
8. Air purifiers: Utilising Air Quality Sensors, offering filter status notifications.
9. Fans: Including movement control, airflow direction adjustment, and speed settings.

Core improvements

In addition to new devices, Matter 1.2 includes core specification enhancements:

• Latch & bolt door locks: Tailored for European markets.
• Device appearance: Descriptions for accurate device representation.
• Device & endpoint composition: Hierarchical device modelling for complex setups.
• Semantic tags: Enabling consistent rendering and application across different clients.
• Operational states: Expressing device modes in a generic way for universal support.

Under-the-hood enhancements

Matter 1.2 brings vital improvements to testing and certification:

• New platform support in SDK: Expanding developer possibilities.
• Enhancements to the Matter Test Harness: Ensuring correct implementation and open-source availability.

Looking ahead

With Matter 1.2, engineers and product leaders globally can support new device types and features—promising an even richer smart home experience for consumers and developers alike.

Expect a surge in Matter-enabled products this Fall, with continuous updates and expansions slated for 2024.

(Photo by Ihor Saveliev on Unsplash)

See also: Eseye: ‘Sub-standard connectivity’ is jeopardising IoT success

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Tags: connectivity standards alliance, csa, internet of things, IoT, matter, matter iot, matter standard, smart home, standards