All articles tagged with #matter
Govee has put its portable Table Lamp Classic on sale for the first time at Amazon for $63.99 ($16 off), a cheaper yet brighter alternative to Philips Hue Go with a 4,800mAh battery lasting up to 30 hours with color lighting (about 5 hours in bright white), up to 500 lumens, 2700K–6500K color temps, music-sync and mood presets, app-based lighting prompts, and Matter support—though it lacks the Hue Go’s IP54 weather resistance.
Govee announces three new Matter-compatible floor lamps—Floor Lamp 3 ($170), Floor Lamp 3 Lite ($130), and Lantern Floor Lamp ($130)—promising more color-accurate output with its LuminBlend+ tech and no color banding. Floor Lamp 3 offers 1,000K–10,000K white light, up to 2,100 lumens, and 144 RGB LEDs plus 144 white LEDs with a color-lit base, while the Lantern Floor Lamp stands 60 inches tall and outputs about 1,400 lumens in a mushroom-style enclosure. All three support Matter for basic control, with richer effects via the Govee app; they’re available now on Amazon or Govee’s site.
Homebridge 2.0 officially launches with initial groundwork for Matter support, enabling it to act as a Matter bridge in addition to a HomeKit bridge. This lets Matter devices appear in Apple Home and be bridged to other Matter platforms like Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, and Home Assistant, broadening support for devices (including robot vacuums) and plugins. Not all plug-ins will be updated at launch, but the goal is a single platform that covers both HomeKit and Matter.
Samsung is expanding its SmartThings platform to support IKEA’s Matter-over-Thread devices, promising seamless plug‑and‑play integration and richer automation in the SmartThings app, though real-world success depends on Matter’s reliability, as IKEA’s devices have struggled to connect in some setups.
Samsung SmartThings now supports IKEA’s 25 Matter-enabled devices via Thread, enabling direct connection to the SmartThings hub and broader compatibility with Samsung appliances and third-party products. The integration includes devices like bulbs, plugs, sensors, and a scroll wheel remote, and adds features such as Sleep environment insights and Family Care. Built on Matter and Thread 1.4, the update aims to simplify setup and expand the smart‑home ecosystem across brands, with availability varying by market.
Samsung says its SmartThings platform now delivers glitch-free, native-like support for Ikea’s Matter devices with upgraded integrations and a dedicated app experience, potentially fixing ghosting and other quirks—though the need for platform-specific tweaks shows Matter hasn’t fully eliminated vendor work for a reliable smart-home setup.
The Verge reports that Walmart has listed an updated 2026 version of its Onn 4K Pro streaming box, adding Google Gemini voice search and Matter-over-Thread for smart-home control. The device, priced at around $59.88, carries 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, 4K/Dolby Vision/Dolby Atmos, and Wi‑Fi 6 with Ethernet, matching or modestly exceeding the spec of competitors while keeping the remote look-alike design; the listing appears before an official announcement and follows Walmart’s recent CSA/Matter affiliation.
Aqara today released the Thermostat Hub W200, its first North American thermostat, a Matter-enabled device that also acts as a presence sensor and hub for Thread/Zigbee devices. It supports Apple’s Adaptive Temperature and Clean Energy Guidance via HomeKit (with a Matter hub like a HomePod or Apple TV), and offers flexible control through the Aqara app and HomeKit. The W200 works with heat pumps, furnaces, and other systems and includes mmWave occupancy sensing, but it has a 20°F minimum compressor setting that can limit cold-climate use and some confusing HVAC wording in the app. Priced at $160 (with a $30 C-wire adapter sold separately), it’s a strong HomeKit alternative to Ecobee for Apple-centric energy-saving automation, though setup nuances and base-plate fit are considerations for DIY installs.
Govee launches Outdoor Chromatic String Lights that let you customize color per bulb with gradients and animated effects, available in 32‑foot (10 bulbs) for $169.99 and 65‑foot (20 bulbs) for $299.99. Each bulb includes 55 RGB LEDs plus 54 white LEDs, is IP67 weather-rated with a dual-layer shell, and can be controlled via the Govee Home app with 12 music-reactive modes. The strings are Matter-compatible and integrate with Amazon and Google smart-home setups.
Govee has launched Outdoor Chromatic String Lights for outdoor use, offering 10m sets at $170 or 20m sets at $300. Each bulb contains 55 RGB LEDs for individually colorable effects, with up to three layered cycling options and compatibility with Matter for smart-home integration. However, Matter won’t control individual bulbs or their LEDs—only all bulbs together (on/off and color/brightness). The lights are IP67-rated for weather resistance and are marketed to last more than 10 years, with availability on Govee’s site and Amazon.
An aesthetically striking, $100 doughnut-shaped lamp, Ikea's Varmblixt adds ambient lighting with color options and Matter support, pairing with Apple Home, Alexa, or Google through QR setup and automations; it can mount on a table or wall, uses replaceable bulbs, and while the app/automation controls shine, the included remote can be fussy and a hub may be needed for some setups.
The Aqara Camera Hub G350 is the first Matter‑compatible camera, but current Matter functionality is limited to livestreaming in Samsung SmartThings and requires firmware updates; full pan‑tilt control and video history aren’t available yet. It features 4K/2.5K dual lenses, 360° pan‑tilt with auto‑tracking, local microSD storage, RTSP, and HomeKit Secure Video, with Alexa/Google support via cloud. While it can serve as a Matter hub/bridge, broader cross‑platform Matter support is still in the works and not guaranteed for the near term.
Samsung Electronics has added Digital Home Key to Samsung Wallet, a feature built on the Aliro standard that lets Galaxy users unlock compatible smart door locks via their phone using NFC or UWB (and remotely through the app) after onboarding through SmartThings and Matter. Keys are stored securely with Knox and designed to meet high security certifications, with initial rollout in select regions beginning March 2026 and expanding as partner locks from Aqara, Nuki, Schlage and Xthings become available.
Ikea’s Matter-over-Thread smart home devices—including lights, a smart button, and sensors—are facing onboarding and connectivity problems for some users, with multiple devices failing to pair or stay connected across major platforms like Apple Home, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa. Ikea says it’s aware of the issues and is investigating with ecosystem partners and the Connectivity Standards Alliance to fix the problems as Matter deployments continue.
Google Home’s February update adds support for programmable switches (buttons), enabling starter automations such as 'Switch or button pressed' with single/multi-press and long-press events, and aligning with Matter and Ikea’s affordable Bilresa buttons.