iOS 18 Lets you use Matter Smart-home Devices Without a Hub
Sep 18, 2024, 2:30 PM by Rich Brome @rbrome.bsky.social
Apple has quietly slipped a new smart-home feature into the just-released iOS 18. You can now set up and use a Matter-compatible smart-home device with just your phone, instead of requiring a separate Matter hub device. (Matter is the new open industry standard for cross-platform smart-home technology.) This new feature enables only manual, local control; a hub is still required to operate devices in an automated way, or remotely. Apple says this new feature works with plug-in or hard-wired devices today, while battery-powered devices may require a firmware update to work in this hub-less mode. Matter devices can use Wi-Fi and/or Thread for wireless connectivity. iOS 18 lets any iPhone connect to a Wi-Fi-enabled Matter device. Connecting to a Thread-only device requires an iPhone with a Thread radio. Google also recently started putting Thread radios in its phones, starting with the Pixel 9 series. This implies that Google may add a similar feature to Android soon.
Comments
No messages

iPhone 16 Brings More Features to All Price Points, Including New Camera Control
iPhone 15 Series Goes All-In on USB-C and Dynamic Island
Mophie Brings Back Juice Pack Battery Cases for iPhone
New Case Adds Keyboard to iPhone Pro
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Apple iPhone 16



