Why rely on only Matter or Thread when you can use both?

Smart home technology is advancing rapidly, and two key protocols — Matter and Thread — are leading the charge. These technologies are designed to eliminate long-standing issues like device compatibility, security concerns, and inefficient power usage, making connected homes smoother and more reliable than ever.

Matter acts as the universal language that enables smart devices from different brands to work together, while Thread provides a low-power, scalable networking framework that keeps everything connected. Combined, Matter over Thread is reshaping the smart home experience, making setup easier and functionality more seamless. Let’s break it down.

Understanding the Basics of Matter and Thread

While Matter focuses on standardizing smart home interactions, Thread establishes a reliable and energy-efficient communication network. Together, they form the backbone of a truly interconnected smart home ecosystem.

What is Matter?

Matter is a universal smart home connectivity standard developed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), designed to eliminate compatibility issues between devices from different manufacturers. Traditionally, smart home products relied on proprietary communication protocols, leading to fragmented ecosystems and complex integrations. Matter resolves this by providing a common application layer that allows devices to communicate seamlessly, regardless of brand or platform.

Here’s how it enhances smart home experiences:

• Interoperability: Matter-certified devices can communicate across ecosystems such as Apple HomeKit, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings.
• Security: Built-in encryption and authentication mechanisms ensure safe device communication.
• Ease of Use: Simple setup procedures, including QR-code-based onboarding, make installation intuitive for users.
• Flexibility: Supports multiple network layers, including Thread, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet, allowing manufacturers to choose the best connectivity solution for their devices.

What is Thread?

Thread is a low-power, IPv6-based mesh networking protocol built for IoT devices. Unlike WiFi or Bluetooth, which rely on a central hub or router, Thread devices form a self-healing mesh — if one device goes offline, the others can reroute communication without disruption. For this reason, Thead is:

• Energy-efficient: Optimized for low-power devices like battery-operated sensors and smart locks.
• Reliable: Uses a decentralized, self-repairing mesh topology where each node can relay data, reducing dependency on a central hub.
• Scalable: Can support large networks of devices without compromising performance.
• Secure: Includes encryption and authentication mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access.

Together, Matter and Thread deliver the smart home experience consumers want and expect.

The Synergy Between Matter and Thread

When Matter and Thread are combined, they create a highly efficient and secure smart home ecosystem. Here’s how the two protocols complement each other:

By combining both protocols, you get a Matter over Thread module: a compact, pre-certified hardware component that enables manufacturers to integrate Matter and Thread functionality into their IoT products without having to build these capabilities from scratch. Core components of such a module include a wireless 2.4GHz radio designed to support Thread communication, a microcontroller or system-on-chip (SoC) responsible for running Matter and managing device interactions, and security features like secure boot, hardware encryption, and device authentication.

During manufacturing, the Matter over Thread module is embedded into IoT devices such as smart locks, lights, and thermostats. Once integrated, it enables direct communication with other Matter-compatible devices over a Thread network.

One of the major advantages of using a pre-certified module is that it eliminates the need for manufacturers to undergo extensive regulatory approvals, thereby accelerating product development and time to market. Once deployed, devices equipped with the module can be effortlessly controlled across multiple smart home ecosystems, including Apple, Google, Amazon, and others, for ultimate ease of use for consumers.

Telink’s Matter Over Thread Solutions

For IoT developers looking to integrate Matter over Thread into their products, Telink offers a suite of high-performance SoCs. For example, if you’re developing wearable or IoT applications, the TLSR922x SoC is a powerhouse, supporting Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE), Zigbee 3.0, HomeKit, 6LoWPAN, Thread, Matter, and proprietary 2.4 GHz standards — all in one chip.

Need more versatility? The TL321x is a single-chip solution that supports Bluetooth LE, 802.15.4, and 2.4GHz proprietary protocols. It works with multiple standards, including Zigbee, RF4CE, Thread, and more, making it a go-to choice for IoT applications that require flexibility across different ecosystems. Our TL721x SoC also supports these features, including the latest iteration of Bluetooth, to provide low-latency, top-quality performance for the latest smart home capabilities.

With Telink’s cutting-edge solutions, developers can seamlessly integrate Matter over Thread into their products, ensuring they are ready for the next generation of smart home innovation.

To learn more about our products and solutions, ask us a question through our Technical Forum or by contacting us directly today.