Matter, the smart home interoperability standard that makes it easier for different bits of smart home kit to talk to each other, has just been upgraded to version 1.3. The new version makes Matter even more useful, with support for a range of domestic appliances such as ovens and tumble dryers. And it adds energy management to the mix in order to help you keep a lid on your utility bills and an eye on your EV.
The Matter standard is published by the Connectivity Standards Alliance, which features the likes of Apple, Amazon, Google and Samsung. But while the firms are vocally supportive of the standard, they're a bit slower when it comes to actually supporting it: no major tech firms have rolled out Matter 1.2 yet, and that came out in October. So there's clearly going to be a bit of a wait before the new features roll out to an appliance or hub near you.
