Enlarge / The Nest 2020 thermostat is getting Matter support, making it (theoretically) easier to control across multiple smart home platforms, including Apple's Home. (credit: Google)

A major piece of the smart home market now supports the Matter standard . The 2020 Nest Thermostat is the first smart thermostat to join in the slow-going wave and, in doing so, now works in an Apple Home system without additional bridges or hubs.

Take note that only the 2020 redesign of the Nest Thermostat will be updated with Matter support, starting today and rolling out "over the next few weeks," according to a Google Nest Community post . Google has said it is investigating Matter support for the more common Nest (3rd generation) Learning Thermostat and Nest Thermostat E (now mainly available in Europe). Let's hope it does, because the Learning Thermostat has the broadest compatibility across HVAC systems and is the one we see installed in most homes, at about a 100-to-zero rate versus the 2020 version.

If you have a newer Nest, your device will quietly absorb an over-the-air update at some point today or in the next few weeks. After that, you can control your Nest from multiple Matter-compliant systems. Nest already worked with Amazon's Alexa, Samsung's SmartThings, and, of course, Google's Home platform. But with Matter support, you can set it up to interact with other Matter-enabled devices, such as non-Nest temperature sensors or motion detectors.

Enlarge / SwitchBot's new Hub 2 is most helpful for those who already have SwitchBot products in their home, but also those with infrared devices they'd like to automate. (credit: SwitchBot)

The Matter smart home connectivity standard has huge promise and lots of device makers lined up to engage with a theoretically more open, less server-dependent future. And yet, so far, I haven't been compelled to write about any individual products launching with Matter support. Most of them are simply familiar products—light bulbs, turning door locks, wall switches—that now can be set up in a different, cross-platform way ( however painfully ). Most wouldn't compel anyone who already has a functioning version of them to upgrade or expand their setup.

Here's the first thing to make me take notice, and it is, of all things, a hub. The SwitchBot Hub 2 (also $70 on Amazon ) makes the most sense if you already have some SwitchBot products in your home and might want to take them beyond their default Bluetooth range with Wi-Fi connectivity. But I think it might also appeal to someone looking for an entryway to a small, controlled, and useful smart home.

For one thing, the Hub 2 isn't just a puck of plastic that does nothing but coordinate traffic for a subset of devices. I have two of those taking up space in my home, from Phillips Hue and Samsung SmartThings. They hang out within Ethernet distance of my router, eating trickle power and generating a little heat pocket on that shelf. They are quiet, mostly useless roommates who will be evicted by some future upgrade.

Enlarge / Several of Belkin's Wemo smart home accessories support the Thread networking protocol, but the company is holding off on Matter support for now. (credit: Belkin)

Belkin is pumping the brakes on its support for the nascent Matter smart home standard, according to The Verge . Devices from Belkin's Wemo smart home brand may still support Matter eventually, but Belkin will "take a big step back, regroup, and rethink" its product strategy before supporting Matter in any of its products. This is a reversal for Belkin, which had announced at CES 2022 that it planned to support Matter in several of its new accessories when the standard was ready.

Some Wemo devices already support Thread, the underlying network protocol that Matter uses to allow devices in your home to communicate without flooding your Wi-Fi router. But at least for now, those devices remain tied to Apple's HomeKit ecosystem.

The oft-delayed Matter standard was finally released in the fall of 2022 . It promises to break down the walls between smart home fiefdoms, taking the guesswork out of buying accessories and allowing for control of devices without having to install any device-specific apps. Matter devices should work whether you use HomeKit, Amazon's Alexa, Google Home, or even some combination of all three. Matter-compatible devices will also retain a basic level of functionality even if the company that made an accessory goes out of business or gets acquired and shut down.

Enlarge / There's a new, improved Home system coming for Apple's smart home users—for the second time. (credit: nurPhoto / Getty Images)

An upgraded architecture for Apple's Home smart home system, one that would potentially make device-packed networks faster and more reliable, is coming back to iOS soon after a failed launch late last year.

Apple originally pushed a Home app update in iOS 16.2, one that, separate from the OS itself, offered "improved performance and reliability of the accessories in your home." The upgrade required that every single Apple device connected to the home—iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, MacBooks, HomePods, and Apple TVs—updates to the latest OS version or not have access. A number of people who clicked all those Settings icons and waited through reboots ended up with unresponsive devices , slow responses to commands and scene changes, and devices stuck in a "Configuring" stage.

Apple later pulled the Home architecture upgrade from 16.2, gave Home owners advice on how to regain control of their Home, and reportedly added the problems to an internal list of major hardware and software issues, seen by Apple, Apple Store, and Authorized Service Providers. The visual refresh given to the Home app was still in place, providing easier access to multiple devices and rooms from the home screen and adding widgets to the lock screen. But those who didn't jump to upgrade (and complete it) were held back. Apple listed the " Upgrade to the new Home architecture " as "temporarily removed" but noted it would "return soon."