The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) today announced the debut of a new Matter 1.3 specification that’s available for device makers and platforms. Matter is a smart home protocol that allows smart devices to work across multiple platforms, including HomeKit.
Matter 1.3 adds support for a range of new device types and features, including water management devices, electric vehicle chargers, kitchen and laundry appliances, and TVs.
For smart plugs and other devices, the update includes energy management reporting, allowing users to see actual and estimated measurements of power, voltage, and current, both in-real time and over time. EV Charging manufacturers are able to include Matter-based features such as manually starting and stopping charging, adjusting charging rate, and optimizing charging times.
Water management devices like leak and freeze detectors, rain sensors, and controllable water valves are supported in Matter 1.3, as are several new appliance types including microwave ovens, ovens, cooktops, extractor hoods, and dryers.
For TVs, Matter 1.3 improves casting initialization and search, plus it adds support for push messages and dialog for ambient experiences, expanded interactivity for TV apps, and better interaction with other home devices.
Scenes are supported with the new specification, allowing product makers and platforms to set, read, and activate scenes on devices. Scenes for Matter work like HomeKit scenes, letting users set a desired state for rooms and devices with one command. Matter controllers are also now able to batch multiple commands into a single message when communicating with Matter devices for less delay between command execution.
Matter 1.3 devices and improvements will likely be available on the market later this year, with more information available on the CSA website.