Amazon to add Matter-over-Thread support to Echo devices this spring

Tech giant Amazon has announced that it will be adding Matter-over-Thread support to its Echo devices this spring.

The company will also expand its support of the new smart home standard to more device types -- including thermostats, blinds, and sensors -- in addition to light bulbs, plugs, and switches, reports The Verge.

Matter is a new smart home interoperability standard that provides a common language for smart home devices to communicate locally in your home without relying on a cloud connection.

It uses Wi-Fi and Thread wireless protocols and, in its first rollout, includes smart sensors, smart lighting, smart plugs and switches, smart thermostats, connected locks, and media devices including TVs.

Users will be able to use any Matter device on any Matter platform once Amazon's Matter rollout is complete, according to the report.

Moreover, with the addition of Thread support, Amazon's Echo 4th Gen smart speaker will be transformed into a Matter controller and a Thread border router.

"Our Matter setup flow for Thread devices will allow the user to connect their Thread device to any Thread network in the home (similar to their ability to connect to any Wi-Fi network for Wi-Fi devices) in addition to using the network created by an Echo device (4th Gen)," Matt Davidson, senior product manager of Matter at Amazon, was quoted as saying.

The company further mentioned that its Alexa iOS app will be updated in the spring to support adding Matter devices.

--IANS

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