Google Home and Nest devices are compatible with Matter. That should make a lot of things easier.
Standard Question can only really simplify the use of home automation devices of different brands if the products are actually compatible with this protocol. Today, Google announced that it has enabled Matter compatibility on its Nest and Android devices – and you don’t have to download or install anything to take advantage of it. This means that Google Home speakers, Google Home Mini, Nest Mini, Nest Audio, Nest Hub (1st and 2nd generation), Nest Hub Max and the new Nest WiFi Pro, can now act as a hub for Matter and control your home automation installation.
Google Home and Nest devices are compatible with Matter
Google has also rolled out Matter support for Fast Pairing on Android, and the tech giant explains that this will allow Matter-enabled devices to pair to your home network “as quickly as when pairing listen”. Once your devices are connected, this feature also makes it easier to link Matter devices with applications and home automation ecosystems. In addition, the Mountain View company has updated the Nest WiFi Pro, Nest Hub Max and Nest Hub (2nd generation) to function as Thread routers, so you can use them to connect Thread-enabled products, the network protocol for low-power devices, such as smart locks, in your facility.
That would make a lot of things easier.
The Connectivity Standards Alliance, of which Google is a part, has been working on Matter since 2019 to solve the problem of fragmentation in home automation and simplify the use of products from different manufacturers. It was originally supposed to launch this standard in 2021, but had to postpone several times before finally releasing version 1.0 and the product certification program last October. Shortly after the official launch of Matter, Samsung announced that it would work with Google to allow devices already set up with SmartThings to be additionally added to Google Home and vice versa. Amazon, one of the other founders of the Alliance, also lists 17 Echo devices that will be compatible with this standard in the coming days.
Although very few products currently support Matter, Google says the list will grow rapidly in the coming weeks and months. All compatible devices will be stamped with a dedicated Matter badge and will work with affected Google products and all other Matter devices without any difficulty.