Amazon Expands Support For Matter Devices With Thread, iOS Setup and More

Amazon announced a flurry of updates for Alexa improving cross compatibility with a new Matter update that includes support for Thread support Echo devices, setup on iOS, and a new version Works with Alexa program. Together, the new updates mark a new milestone in the journey of Matter, with Amazon switching on the smart home standard for over 100 million Echo smart speakers.

Amazon Finally Adopts Matter

The 4th-gen Echo Smart Speaker now comes with support for Thread, a border router supporting smart plugs, smart lights, and other Matter-supported smart home appliances. This means you can easily connect it to your smart home grid without having to worry about compatibility. Furthermore, the second gen Echo, Echo Plus, and Echo Dot devices have been updated as Matter controllers.

So far, Amazon only had Matter-over-Wifi support for some of its smart speakers, and you could only pair a Matter-enabled device through an Android phone with the Alexa app. Going forward, Matter devices can be set up through iOS devices opening up support for Matter devices that used to only support Apple Home, which will now work with Amazon Alexa and Echo speakers.

Amazon also said it has over 100 million Matter-enabled Echo devices, and customers can now connect over 300 million smart home devices to Alexa with the support for Matter.

To encourage more Matter-enabled smart home devices, Amazon has announced a new version of its Works with Alexa and Frustration-Free Setup (FFS) programs for Matter devices.

The new programs have been supported by multiple smart home brands such as Eve Systems on its Eve Energy, Eve Motion, and Eve Door and Window. These devices earlier only supported Apple HomeKit and Matter but did not work with Alexa since it required Thread support.

Users will now be able to update their compatible Echo devices and expand their smart home with more choice.