Thread & Matter, The Future of Smart Home Connectivity

The smart home has long promised seamless interoperability, lights that dim on command, sensors that anticipate environmental needs and robust security systems that talk to each other. Yet, anyone who’s wrestled with multiple smart home hubs knows the reality has often fallen short.

Enter Thread and Matter, two complementary technologies designed to address the fragmentation holding our smart homes back.

At Ignys, we’re no strangers to connectivity debates, we often get asked “Zigbee, Z-Wave, and proprietary protocols, they’re tried and tested, why would we move?”

Let’s explore what these technologies bring to the table, where they’re being used, and whether they really are the future of smart home tech.

What is Thread?

Thread is a networking protocol based on IPv6 over IEEE 802.15.4 radios (the same foundation as Zigbee). Unlike Wi-Fi, which is optimised for high throughput, or Bluetooth, which shines in point-to-point links, Thread is tailored for low-power, low-bandwidth mesh networks.

Key Thread Characteristics:

• Mesh topology: Every device can act as a router, extending coverage and resilience
• IP-native: Uses IPv6, meaning devices can communicate directly with the internet and each other without translation
• Low power: Designed with battery-powered IoT devices in mind
• Security-first: AES encryption and secure commissioning built in
• Self-healing: If one node goes down, data routes around it automatically

This combination promises interoperability and reliability, which are two sorely needed traits in the current fragmented smart home tech space.

What is Matter?

Matter is an industry-standard application layer protocol backed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) and companies you may have heard of… Apple, Google, Amazon, Samsung (to name a few). Matter is designed to ensure that smart home devices from different brands work seamlessly together.

Key characteristics:

• Runs on top of IP-based protocols: Works with Thread for low-power mesh, Wi-Fi for high-bandwidth applications, and Ethernet
• Interoperability-first: A single certification ensures cross-brand compatibility
• Simple setup: Unified onboarding process across ecosystems
• Future-focused: Supported by a coalition of tech giants with strong momentum

How do they work together?

In a nutshell, Thread provides the networking foundation, while Matter provides the language and framework that devices use to talk to each other.

Expectations for the pair

1. True interoperability: Thread ensures resilient, low-power connectivity, while Matter guarantees devices from different manufacturers can interoperate seamlessly.
2. Low power, high reliability: Expect Thread-enabled Matter devices to dominate in sensors, locks, and other “always-on”, low-energy applications.
3. Unified consumer experience: Matter abstracts away technical differences, so consumers can mix and match ecosystems – Apple, Google, Amazon etc.

Possible Applications

• Smart lighting: Bulbs, switches, and dimmers that cooperate across brands without a central hub
• HVAC controls: Thermostats, occupancy sensors and windows all working in harmony
• Security systems: Locks, cameras, and motion sensors in a robust, cross-brand mesh
• Energy management: Smart plugs and radiator controls optimising energy use
• Industrial IoT: Beyond homes, Thread + Matter is starting to appear in building automation, warehousing and logistics

Will Thread and Matter Displace Zigbee?

Zigbee is the current wireless communication standard for connecting smart devices, but with low data transfer rates and susceptibility to interference, is change coming?

Short-term reality:

• Zigbee is entrenched, with millions of deployed devices and established supply chains
• Manufacturers are cautious about abandoning proven protocols overnight

Medium-term shift:

• With Matter adoption accelerating, Thread is positioned as the default low-power protocol, and Matter as the universal language for devices
• Border routers (HomePod mini, Nest Hub) mean consumers won’t need to buy dedicated hubs

Long-term outlook:

• Once Matter matures and ecosystems converge, it’s hard to see Zigbee maintaining dominance. Thread’s IP foundation and Matter’s interoperability promise make them more future proof

The Ignys opinion…

We envision Thread and Matter to become ubiquitous within the next 5 years for new smart home deployments. Zigbee won’t vanish overnight of course, it will persist in legacy systems and industrial niches.

But, for new products yeah, the momentum is firmly behind Thread and Matter.

Final Thoughts

Thread and Matter represent a fundamental shift toward IP-native, interoperable, and resilient smart home networks. For designers and developers, this means designing products today that are Matter-certified and Thread-compatible. For consumers, it means fewer hubs, fewer headaches, and smarter smart homes.

The challenge for product designers isn’t whether to support them, it’s going to be how quickly they can adapt to meet the expectations of tomorrow’s increasingly connected consumers.

If you’re developing a connected product and weighing protocol options, and are ready to have a grown-up conversation, our engineers can help you test, design, and deliver solutions that won’t be obsolete in two years.

Reach out today here, you’ll be happy you did.