The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) released the Matter 1.4 specification in fall 2024, and we skipped Matter 1.4.1 here, but decided to cover the Matter 1.4.2 release, which enables WiFi only provisioning, removing the need for a Bluetooth LE radio often only used for onboarding Smart Home devices.
This will enable device makers to reduce costs and hardware complexity by removing the Bluetooth LE radio and the associated software stack in designs where a BLE radio is only used solely for commissioning. While Matter 1.4.2 is a minor dot release, it includes many other changes we’ll cover below.
Matter 1.4.2 highlights:
- Wi-Fi Only Commissioning – Relies on Wi-Fi Unsynchronized Service Discovery (USD), and removes the need for Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) radios to onboard devices to the Matter ecosystems.
- Security Enhancements
- Vendor ID (VID) Verification – Matter Controllers can now cryptographically verify that the Admins installed on a device are genuinely from the vendors they claim.
- Access Restriction Lists (ARLs) – Routers and access points (known as Network Infrastructure Managers or NIMs in Matter) will get a mechanism to restrict access to sensitive settings and data to only trusted, verified Controllers.
- Certificate Revocation Lists (CRLs) – Using Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), Matter now supports standard mechanisms for revoking unused or compromised Device Attestation Certificates.
- Improved Scenes Management – Matter 1.4.2 makes scene support certifiable, providing a standardized way for Controllers to define and activate scenes across multiple Matter devices. The update also adds support for time-based behavior, like fading lights over time, and can reduce the number of commands needed to synchronize multiple devices.
- Efficient Network Communication (Quieter Reporting) – Matter 1.4.2 extends “Quieter Reporting”, a data model optimization that defines when and how often devices should report attribute changes, to a wider range of features and devices. This can help with battery life and response times, especially in setups with many devices.
- Standardized Node Reconfiguration – Smart home devices often gain new capabilities after commissioning, either through firmware updates or user-driven changes. Matter 1.4.2 standardizes the way devices notify Controllers of changes to their features or configuration. That means new features become available automatically without requiring a device reboot or setup from scratch.
- Consistent Endpoint Unique IDs – Matter devices often have multiple addressable endpoints, for example, individual plugs on a power strip or buttons on a Controller. Endpoint IDs could be different across Admins or after recommissioning, causing user confusion and potential duplication, but Matter 1.4.2 fixes that and prevents duplicate devices.
- Standardized Robot Vacuum Cleaner (RVC) behaviors
- Enhanced Network Infrastructure Requirements in Matter 1.4.2:
- Thread Border Routers included in NIMs must support at least 150 devices and be certified for Thread 1.4.
- Wi-Fi access points must support 100 simultaneous associations and Target Wake Time (TWT) for power efficiency.
- Improved Certification Processes – Matter 1.4.2 includes updates to test plans, scripts, and tools, including new and refined test cases for valves, fans, access control, and the interaction data model. These updates enhance test automation, minimize ambiguity, and streamline certification processes for greater efficiency and repeatability.
You’ll find the Matter 1.4.2 specification (Core, Application Cluster, Device Library, and Standard Namespace) on the download page in the csa-iot.org website, and the Matter SDK has also been updated on GitHub.
Via Hackster.io
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
Support CNX Software! Donate via cryptocurrencies, become a Patron on Patreon, or purchase goods on Amazon or Aliexpress. We also use affiliate links in articles to earn commissions if you make a purchase after clicking on those links.
