Four years on, Matter is still trying to fix the smart home

Four years ago, Apple, Google, Amazon, and Samsung got in a room in Amsterdam and agreed on one thing: Matter. A single standard for smart locks, lights, and sensors — the kind of devices that are supposed to make our homes work together without forcing us into one platform.

The promise was simple. Buy any brand, use any app, plug it in, and it works. No more walled gardens. No more ecosystem lock-in. The standard was built on open protocols and existing tech, not some new invention.

The problem is that the promise was easy to make and harder to deliver. Big tech companies spent years building Matter, but each company still has its own agenda. Apple wants you in the Apple Home. Google wants you in Google Home. Amazon wants you in Amazon Home. The standard is there, but the walled gardens are still standing — just with slightly more doors. The Verge is hosting a Matter conference now to see if the industry can actually deliver on what they promised.

Why this matters for us: If Matter works, our smart home devices won't be controlled by one company's pricing and policies — they'll work across platforms and stay affordable for working families.