Unlocking the Potential of Matter for EZIE Devices

Matter, the latest buzzword in the world of smart home technology, promises to revolutionize how different devices in your smart home ecosystem communicate with each other. It’s the answer to the long-standing problem of fragmentation and is set to bring cohesiveness to the smart home landscape. As you read this, you probably have a good grasp of what Matter is all about.

Now, let’s delve into how Matter intersects with EZIE devices. One key point to note is that obtaining Matter certification is no small feat. It can be a costly endeavor, often surpassing the expenses of setting up a device manufacturing unit. The initial enrollment cost can go up to ₹7,00,000, and the device certification can range from ₹2,00,000 to ₹5,00,000 as your devices will undergo testing by service providers based in Europe or the US. Furthermore, there’s an annual renewal fee of approximately ₹4,00,000.

The high certification costs make it clear that obtaining official Matter certification might not be a viable option for EZIE devices due to its prohibitive expense. Instead, EZIE devices opt for Test Matter certification, which allows you to use Matter technology without bearing the cost of branding your device.

Another challenge lies in the software support for Matter-compatible hubs. It’s not always as comprehensive as expected. Let’s dive into the details of which hubs support what kinds of devices and what limitations may arise with each. Finding a Matter hub that supports all devices can be quite a task. Below, we outline the support and test results with various Matter Hubs:

Amazon Alexa:

– EZIE devices can be detected and added without any issues, even with Test Certification.

– However, there’s a limitation: one endpoint can support only one device. For example, a 4 Gang Switch with four relays for control will only allow one relay to be detected and used with a single endpoint.

– Fan Level Control devices are not supported.

Home Assistant (Matter Integration):

– EZIE devices can be detected with ease, and no additional settings are required.

– A 4 Gang Switch, including all four relays, is detected and works seamlessly.

– Unfortunately, Fan Level Control isn’t supported as a Matter device in Home Assistant.

Google Home:

– Additional developer settings are needed in Google Cloud, and instructions can be found [here](https://tasmota.github.io/docs/Matter-with-Google/).

– The 4 Gang Switch is easily detected and functions well.

– Fan Level Control is also detected and operates without issues.

Of the tested Matter Hubs, Google Home has proven to be the most successful, though it does require additional Google Developer settings.

Please note that the remaining hubs have not been tested yet, but we will update the results as they become available.