What you need to know
- Amazon has concluded its first rollout phase of Alexa-compatible Matter smart home devices.
- Customers can connect 17 different Alexa products over Wi-Fi with Matter support along with 30,000 more labeled with "Works with Alexa."
- Matter gives customers their choice back when buying smart home products, enabling them to all work as one without too much fumbling.
Amazon is entering a new phase of an ambient, functional smart home environment for its customers through Matter.
According to Amazon's official blog post, the company has shared that it's completed the first rollout phase of Matter-compatible devices for customers. Smart Home device buyers can now surf through 17 different Alexa products, such as the Echo Dot with clock (5th gen), plugs, switches, and bulbs with an Android setup to connect these devices over Wi-Fi with Matter availability.
This phased rollout allows the company to start with its most commonly used Alexa devices as it works through stability hiccups and longevity testing with its partners.
With consumer choice being the end goal for Amazon and the Matter connectivity standard, there are now more than 30,000 "Works with Alexa" devices for users to choose from. In building the right smart home, Amazon hopes to allow customers to engage with a "familiar and consistent smart home experience with Alexa." These Alexa-compatible Matter devices will also work seamlessly with other smart home devices regardless of the protocols they were built on.
Amazon states, "as a founding member and key contributor of Matter, we’re thrilled to continue this momentum and bring broader Matter availability to more devices early next year."
Matter is a product of the Connectivity Standard Alliance (CSA) to bring about a smart home world where products can all work seamlessly for customers over Wi-Fi. No longer will customers have to guess if a new smart home product will work with all the rest, as all Matter-certified products will be marked with its signature logo. This new connectivity standard will hopefully defragment our smart homes and shave down the app count on our phones.
While customers enjoy an easier time shopping for the next Amazon smart home device, developers are also gaining tools to build their own version of Matter devices. The company has set up the Frustration-Free setup through the Matter SDK with the Commission Endpoint API available today. Also, coming next year, developers can take advantage of the new Alexa Ambient Home Dev Kit for credentials and Matter multi-admin setup.
Amazon's announcement follows closely on the heels of Google launching Matter and Fast Pair support for its Nest displays and speakers via Google Home on Android.
The Amazon Echo Dot with clock is a convenient rounded bundle of AI goodness. The device may simply be a speaker but it offers so much more than its looks give credit for. With a smart LED display, strong sound, and Alexa, the Echo dot with clock is not only entertainment but knowledge, too.
