What's next for Matter after Belkin steps back?

[msgreenf]

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/03/belkin-takes-a-big-step-back-from-matter-endangering-universal-smart-home-standard/

 

Pretty much as I expected. Once it was realized that you have no more product differentiation and you're only competing on price that is not a market most people want to be in

[therockhr]

Like you said this is expected and I'm sure Belkin wont be the last but losing Belkin is not going to be what "kills" Matter/Thread/whatever it is called. It being overly complicated is what will probably make the adoption hard to come by.

Every home that would potentially be a "smart home" is going to have Wifi access points. This is where the hub of the smart home should be for matter or whatever. There is no reason for a thermostat, appletv or light switch to be a thread router/hub/whatever they are calling it. You should be able to enroll a device through an access point using zigbee or something like that and then you can control it using any compatible app or home controller.

This initiative should have come more from the network people as they would have no dog in the race. they could care less what light or thermostat connects to it.

[therockhr]

And when I refer to wifi access points being the "hub" of the smart home it is really just being the equivalent of a zigbee controller or something. you would not do any code, scheduling or routines of devices in it. it would just be a conduit for things like Control4, home assistant, home kit, etc. to do all those kinds of things or you could just control the devices directly through the access point with a smart phone app.

[Cyknight]

You mean that a 'fits-all' protocol and communication standard that will be adopted by one-and-all isn't going to be implemented among the numerous competing product manufacturers? Shocking.

 

[therockhr]

19 minutes ago, Cyknight said:

You mean that a 'fits-all' protocol and communication standard that will be adopted by one-and-all isn't going to be implemented among the numerous competing product manufacturers? Shocking.

 

I dont think Belkin dropping out means the whole Thread/Matter project is doomed. If Google, Apple or Amazon left then yeah its probably over. That also doesnt mean I think the project will ultimately work either. I just dont think Belking dropping out means anything.

If I was that group I would be trying to get Asus and Netgear to implement it into their routers. those seem to be the most popular consumer networking devices out there. 

[Amr]

Well the industry never agrees on anything and it takes ages, if Matter will pickup and will be main stream they will jump right back in, I don’t like their equipment never adopted any!

[therockhr]

I've probably said this before in here but a colleague of mine used to say "Standards are like toothbrushes. Everyone agrees they are a good idea but no one wants to use someone else's"

[Cyknight]

14 hours ago, therockhr said:

Standards are like toothbrushes. Everyone agrees they are a good idea but no one wants to use someone else's

LOL.

But there's the no1 recommended by dentists one! (until the other one has a better deal for the dentists)

[TundraSonic]

If consumers (including integrators, electrical contractors, HVAC installers, etc.) push for things to be more standardized and shy away from products that are not then the standard will likely do well.

Is it in our best interest for products to support Matter?

[msgreenf]

8 minutes ago, TundraSonic said:

If consumers (including integrators, electrical contractors, HVAC installers, etc.) push for things to be more standardized and shy away from products that are not then the standard will likely do well.

Is it in our best interest for products to support Matter?

Price wise, yes

Innovation no

[RAV]

2 hours ago, TundraSonic said:

Is it in our best interest for products to support Matter?

Without a certification process, no.

It's all a great idea, but companies will cheat and be cheap, and like every other standard there has ever been, some will perform as intended and others not, and the home owners will be unhappy because it said Matter on the box so it's suppose to just work, and it's works with my phone, so it's your control system that sucks.