A Message from Alliance President & CEO Tobin Richardson
What an exciting start to 2025! It’s impossible not to feel the momentum building across the IoT landscape, and at the heart of that energy is you, our Members. Your innovation and dedication to open standards drive the next wave of connected experiences. Nowhere was this more evident than at CES this past January. From the show floor to packed sessions, the energy was electric. The excitement we witnessed and felt in Las Vegas reflected how far we’ve come as a community and movement, and how powerful our continued collaboration will be in shaping the road ahead.
Our session, “Matter: Industry Collaboration for a Sustainable Smart Home,” united thought leaders from Amazon, Bosch, Google, and Samsung SmartThings to explore how interoperability across platforms is reshaping the smart home. Another highlight was a compelling conversation I shared with LOOKOUT CEO David Rose. My fireside chat with David on the future of IoT, smart living, energy, and health painted a dynamic picture of the role open standards and AI will play in the years ahead. We saw Matter logos proudly displayed, engaging demonstrations of Zigbee, and exciting anticipation for Aliro, our forthcoming standard for a communication protocol between access readers and user devices. Security, data protection, and portability were also part of every conversation, and I look forward to the Verified program through our Product Security Working Group taking root once major jurisdictions progress. Taken in total, the energy and enthusiasm experienced surrounding our technologies signal an intentional shift toward a more connected way of living, through open standards.
On the heels of CES, we gathered for our 74th Member Meeting in Chicago in March, where we hosted 340 attendees from 115 companies and 25 countries. The meeting delivered a meaningful and productive week of discussion, demos, and connection, serving as a powerful reminder of the strength and spirit of our community. It was clear this was a gathering of innovators who are talented, motivated, and unified in advancing an accessible and interoperable future.
As our Members came together in Chicago to share insights and deepen collaboration, progress continued on other critical fronts, with the introduction of two new certification programs and our Interop Lab gaining traction and recognition. We’re proud to share that Alliance Interop Lab test results for Matter devices are now accepted for Works With Apple Home, Works With Alexa/Alexa+ (lighting devices), Works With Samsung SmartThings, and Works With Google Home (lighting devices) programs. This alignment marks a significant milestone and underscores our collective commitment to a more streamlined end-to-end certification process.
We also marked a notable step forward with the recent release of Matter 1.4.1. Introducing three new features, this meaningful advancement in the evolution of Matter is designed to streamline setup, improve usability, and support regulatory compliance with Enhanced Setup Flow (ESF), Multi-Device Setup QR codes, and Onboarding Info via NFC tags. These updates represent a significant leap forward in delivering a more intuitive experience for consumers while making implementation more efficient for developers and manufacturers.
Further, the impact of our standards has significantly enhanced energy-efficient living and reduced impact on the environment. The release of Smart Energy 1.4a late last year and coupled with our Zigbee Smart Energy campaign, launched around Earth Day, has been instrumental. Witnessing millions of products working together to drive cost savings and improve energy efficiency across various markets is truly inspiring.
These advancements by our Members’ work reflect our collective technical progress and the power of our shared vision, reinforcing the impressive achievements we continue to accomplish together. As we look to what’s next, I’m excited to continue this journey with you in June at Matter Open Day in Guangzhou and also in person with our Japan Interest Group in Tokyo, several Working Group meetings, and industry conferences, and of course, reconnecting at our next Member Meeting, November 10-13, in Barcelona. Until then, remember, open always wins, and you continue to make that a reality!
Cheers,
