Enabling users to set up their smart home devices easily and successfully is critical to the evolving smart home, reducing support calls and returns, and making the smart home work for everyone. Matter’s 1.4.1 release, and related updates, are focused on doing just that.
With the release of Matter 1.4.1, three new features – Enhanced Setup Flow (ESF), Multi-Device Setup QR code, and Onboarding Info in NFC Tag – aim at making device setup and regulatory compliance easier, benefiting both device makers and end users.
Enhanced Setup Flow (ESF)
The Enhanced Setup Flow (ESF) is an update to the core commissioning process. It now supports the display of a manufacturer’s terms and conditions (T&Cs) directly in the commissioner app, including enabling the collection of customer consent. These responses are transmitted to the device being set up, enabling the device to adjust functionalities as outlined in the T&Cs.
Previously, devices requiring T&C acceptance, for instance to comply with GDPR, would need to direct users to first connect to it using a dedicated app, a process known as Custom Commissioning Flow (CCF) in Matter. With ESF, T&Cs can be localized, displayed, and updated for user acceptance within the commissioner app (such as that from a smart home ecosystem), streamlining the setup process. If a commissioner does not support ESF, the process can still revert to CCF.
For device makers, this means T&Cs can now be shown on interfaces beyond the manufacturer’s app, helping to meet regulatory requirements in various regions. For end users, this enables a streamlined, continuous setup journey without hopping between apps just to manage T&Cs.
Multi-Device Setup QR Code
Many Matter devices utilize a QR code on the device or in the packaging to enable simple and secure setup. For popular multi-packs of devices like light bulbs and smart plugs, it’s not always clear which code is for which device, and adding devices requires scanning the QR codes one by one and waiting for completion of the steps for that device before scanning the next one. With support in Matter for multi-device QR codes, users will be able to scan a single QR code to set up multiple devices at once, with compatible commissioners.
Onboarding Info in NFC Tag
The Onboarding Info in NFC Tag feature allows manufacturers to embed the same information found in Matter QR codes into NFC tags. This expands options for embedding onboarding information into products, making it ideal for devices difficult to move or reorient, such as lightbulbs in fixtures or light switches whose QR codes might be hidden once installed. Users can simply tap their cell phone to the device for commissioning. This mechanism will be used alongside QR and manual (numeric) setup codes.
For device makers, this provides an additional method for delivering onboarding information, complementing QR codes and numeric setup codes. For end users, it offers convenience and flexibility, making setup easier in a variety of real-world situations.
Evolving with Matter
The Matter 1.4.1 release brings meaningful improvements to enhance ease-of-use and setup simplicity in smart home technology with features like Enhanced Setup Flow, Multi-Device Setup QR code, and Onboarding Info in NFC Tags. These features represent the next step forward for Matter setup, enhancing both compliance and user experience. Device makers and end users alike will benefit from the streamlined processes and increased flexibility. Together, these enhancements reinforce Matter’s commitment to delivering a more seamless, secure, and user-friendly smart home experience.
As Matter’s first “minor release”, 1.4.1 focuses on expanding the certification program to include previously provisional specifications for Enhanced Setup Flow and NFC Tags, and includes minor fixes and improvements that enhance the overall quality and reliability of Matter. This and future minor releases will also help expedite time-to-market for features that are ready for deployment but fall in between major releases.
Developers interested in learning more about these enhancements can access the following resources:
Learn more about Matter and its continuing evolution as the foundation for connected things.