Amazon has rolled out a significant update to its support for the Matter smart home standard, with over 100 million Echo smart speakers now switched on to the new technology. Amazon has opted for a robust approach to Matter, launching it only after testing and ensuring it works effectively. The update means that Amazon’s Alexa smart home platform is now Matter-ready. The fourth-gen Echo smart speaker is now a Thread border router, which supports Thread devices such as Eve smart plugs and Nanoleaf smart lights. The switch to Matter is designed to fix common problems with smart home devices such as setup, security, reliability, and interoperability. Amazon also announced changes to its Works with Alexa certification requirements for Matter devices, with more to come in the future.
