Matter’s latest update brings tap-to-pair setup

Two new features coming to Matter are designed to make setting up smart gadgets easier. Multi-device QR codes and a tap-to-pair onboarding via NFC are new options for adding devices like smart lights, plugs, locks, and more to a Matter home network. The updates are part of the new 1.4.1 specification for Matter announced today by the Connectivity Standards Alliance, the organization that runs the smart home interoperability standard developed by Apple, Amazon, Google, Samsung, and others in the industry. With multi-device QR codes, a multi-pack of devices – such as four lightbulbs or a two-pack of plugs – can now use a single QR code. When that’s scanned into a Matter-compatible app, such as Amazon Alexa or Apple Home, it will set up all four bulbs at once, rather than you having to go through the setup four times and scan each code individually, which is the current process. NFC onboarding brings the option to skip the QR code and just tap or bring your phone near to a device to pai ... Read full article.