Amazon is now supporting the latest smart home protocol with Thread coming to its fourth-gen Echo smart speaker, aligning it with Apple’s HomePod mini and more. The latest update also introduces iOS setup compatibility and Matter support for older Echo devices. Additionally, Eve, a previously HomeKit-focused company, has partnered with Amazon.
Amazon has shared all the details on its Matter update in a blog post today, as reported by The Verge:
Today, we’re excited to announce our latest Matter update for Alexa, the updated Works with Alexa (WWA) certification requirements for Matter devices, and share details about how Eve Systems uses Alexa to reach more customers and accelerate the growth of their business. Our vision for the ambient home is one that just works with multiple devices across different technologies and brands, all working together on behalf of the customer.
The update is significant for Apple users as it now allows them to set up Amazon Matter supported devices on iOS.
With this update, second-gen Echo, Echo Plus, and Echo Dot devices have been updated as Matter controllers. Additionally, fourth-gen Echo speakers have received Thread support and function as Thread border routers.
Matter is a smart home standard developed through collaboration between major tech companies like Apple, Amazon, Google, Samsung, and more. It aims to make smart home devices seamless, reliable, secure, and easy to use across different platforms.
Thread, on the other hand, is a mesh networking protocol designed for smart home platforms and devices with direct peer-to-peer communication and self-maintaining capabilities.
Amazon and Eve Partnership
For a while, Eve exclusively produced HomeKit-only smart home devices and was an early adopter of Thread supported devices.
Now, Amazon and Eve have collaborated to integrate Eve’s devices with Matter-enabled Echo devices and the Works with Alexa ecosystem.
Last year, we shared a story about Eve’s collaboration with Amazon to accelerate their business through shared customer focus and innovation. With Alexa now supporting Matter over Thread devices, Eve can expand rapidly by tapping into the vast customer base of Alexa users with millions of Matter-enabled Echo devices. This partnership enables Eve to leverage programs like Works with Alexa (WWA) and Frustration-Free Setup (FFS) to create unique customer experiences.
Eve’s CEO, Jerome Gackel, expressed excitement about the partnership:
“I’m extremely excited about bringing our devices to Alexa customers,” says Jerome Gackel, CEO of Eve Systems. “One of our biggest challenges in introducing the first Matter over Thread devices to customers’ homes is ensuring they have the right infrastructure to connect to our devices. With Alexa’s WWA badge and Thread support on millions of Echos already in customers’ homes, creating a seamless customer journey will be greatly accelerated.”
You can explore all of Eve’s smart home products on its Amazon landing page and its official website.
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