Benefits of Matter certification for device makers
In addition to helping consumers, Matter certification also provides meaningful benefits to smart device manufacturers. By adopting the Matter standard, organizations can gain advantages that reduce costs and expand their customer reach.
Single certification across ecosystems
Currently, to ensure compatibility across ecosystems such as Alexa, HomeKit and Google Home, manufacturers need to go through multiple lengthy and expensive certification processes with each organization. Matter changes this by establishing a single common certification.
Device makers only need to certify their products once to the Matter standard in order to be compatible with all major smart-home ecosystems and voice assistants. This streamlines development and reduces certification costs significantly compared to the status quo. Resources no longer need to be spent on maintaining separate certifications as products are updated. A single Matter certification also future-proofs products and ensures compatibility even as new ecosystems emerge.
Reduced development costs
Matter also helps lower development costs for manufacturers. By adopting a common connectivity and security standard, organizations benefit from shared infrastructure components that contribute to the overall Matter project.
For example, manufacturers no longer need to include their own proprietary Thread border routers in products, offloading this responsibility to hub manufacturers. Shared, open source drivers and libraries further reduce redundant engineering work. Common service discovery and device-setup mechanisms mean less bespoke app development is needed. These reductions in infrastructure and app development costs can be passed on to consumers in the form of more affordable smart-home devices.
Simplified customer support
The current fragmentation in the smart-home market leads to high customer support burdens for manufacturers. Consumers frequently encounter issues with connectivity, setup, and compatibility that require troubleshooting. Matter aims to reduce these problems by standardizing core functions.
When issues do occur, the common underlying Matter protocols mean companies can more easily diagnose and resolve connectivity problems without having to consider multiple ecosystems. This streamlines the support process. With a single app and common voice compatibility, customers also have an easier time learning to use devices, reducing the need for support in many cases. The simplified customer experience and troubleshooting enabled by Matter helps reduce long-term support costs for manufacturers.
