Matter 1.4.2 Is Here: What It Means For Your Smart Home

Forbes

11 hours ago

We're used to seeing the Connectivity Standards Alliance drop two Matter updates a year, but we've just been treated to a second one in the space of just 3 months, with a promise of a meatier one to arrive in the Fall.
Like the 1.4.1 update that landed in May, the latest Matter update - 1.4.2 - is a 'dot dot' release that isn't focused on new device types, but instead tightening the screws on the standard in order to get closer to the seamless smart home that it aims to deliver.
Matter 1.4.2, announced this week by the CSA, focuses on making devices more reliable, security tougher to crack, and setup a little less painful.
One of the headline arrivals is Wi-Fi-only commissioning, meaning Matter gadgets can be on-boarded without needing Bluetooth at all.
As it stands now, Bluetooth is mandatory for setup, even if it's never used again, which could potentially add extra costs for manufacturers and complexity for buyers. By dropping that requirement, we could see cheaper devices down the line, plus easier firmware-based upgrades for existing Wi-Fi products.
It will take time for hubs, speakers, and other Matter Controllers to get the firmware support they need, but the path is there.
Security also gets a bump. Controllers can now cryptographically confirm that the 'admins' running your devices are genuine; a proactive move against counterfeit gear slipping into homes. Routers and access points (which were added as supported device types in the 1.4 spec) also get Access Restriction Lists, limiting what platforms can tweak.
There's also a new certificate revocation system to flag and block dodgy devices before they even join your network, plus support for 150 Thread devices, 100 Wi-Fi devices, and power-saving features like Target Wake Time. It also lets platforms automatically optimize router settings for smoother device connections.
The 1.4.2 update also brings some improvements scenes so they work faster, stay functional when the internet's down, and now support timed actions, which is handy for things like gradual wake-up lighting or slow dim-downs at night. Robot vacuums also get a unified command system, meaning you won't have to cancel a job before starting a new one just because of brand quirks.
Under the hood, Matter 1.4.2 tweaks how devices report in, so they're not chattering needlessly and clogging up your network. That should mean better battery life for sensors and quicker responses across the board.
Devices with multiple functions, like smart power strips, will now be correctly recognized without showing up twice in your app, and any new features added via firmware should be detected automatically.
Like the last 'dot dot' update, there's no exciting news of new device types and it may not sound like the most glamorous update, but it's one that could make your smart home noticeably smoother in the long run. The CSA is definitely focused on getting Matter to where it needs to be and this release gets us another few steps closer.
Matter 1.5, which is set to land in the Fall, should add some interesting device types to the mix… fingers crossed for security cameras and video doorbells.