What you need to know
- Samsung SmartThings has announced a new Partner Early Access Program to push the development and testing of Matter smart home products.
- Partners will be able to test their devices and Matter interoperability with the SmartThings app.
- Partners include Aeotec, Aqara, Eve Systems, Leedarson, Nanoleaf, Netatmo, Sengled, Wemo, WiZ, and Yale.
Samsung has been a significant force in the smart home industry for some time, thanks to its SmartThings ecosystem. That said, Samsung is all in on the upcoming Matter standard, partnering with Apple, Google, Amazon, and others to create a new standard to allow smart home devices to communicate with one another. Now, Samsung has announced a new set of partnerships to help get things moving along.
To help test new Matter-compatible devices, Samsung SmartThings has created the Partner Early Access Program so members can test their devices and Matter interoperability through the SmartThings app. Partners will also be able to use the SmartThings app for seamless onboarding of their devices. With Aeotec, Aqara, Eve Systems, Leedarson, Nanoleaf, Netatmo, Sengled, Wemo, WiZ, and Yale joining the program, SmartThings will help bring some of the best smart home products to Matter.
Matter is set to create a universal standard so smart home tech buyers can spend less time thinking about whether or not a product will work with their existing devices and trust that their new device will work in their home and whatever ecosystem they’re using.
Samsung believes that Matter will become the de facto standard for smart home devices moving forward and is using the rest of its connected products to help drive the point home. At the Samsung Developer Conference in October 2021, Samsung announced that it would be adding hub functionality to its Galaxy devices, TVs, and Family Hub appliances.
Adding smart home hub features to these devices will make it easier for consumers to try and experience connected living. Without needing to buy a hub, customers will be able to more confidently shop for smart home devices when Matter is launched later in 2022.
