Smart lighting company WiZ has implemented Matter support for its smart bulbs, lamps and plugs, making them compatible with Apple Home for the first time (via HomeKitNews).
The new app, WiZ v2, provides support for accessories that were manufactured in early 2021 or later, and allows users to migrate products to the new smart home standard, after which they can be added to any Matter-compatible platform, including Apple Home.
Owners of existing WiZ products should ensure that they have the latest version of the WiZ app from the App Store and that their product’s firmware is up to date. In the app, go to Settings -> Integrations -> Materia and then follow the steps to get new Materia codes for individual devices.
WiZ products that are updated to support Matter will also work with Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings over a Wi-Fi network, instead of relying on a cloud connection as previously.
Until now, the only way to get WiZ lights to work with HomeKit devices was by using Siri Shortcuts or by using an unofficial workaround like HomeBridge. WiZ is owned by Signify, which also owns Philips Hue, but the latter, the more expensive brand, has delayed its Matter compatibility update.
Matter is an Internet of Things standard that is designed to improve cross-brand smart device interoperability, so HomeKit devices can work with other smart home devices from Google, Amazon, and others. Matter works over Wi-Fi and Thread, with Wi-Fi enabling smart home devices to communicate with the cloud and Thread providing a reliable, energy-efficient mesh network in the home.