Smart home devices promise simplicity and ease of use, making life much easier. However, behind these promises lie different standards, manufacturers and applications. Without checking what connection standard they support or which system they are compatible with, connecting two smart light bulbs with our home assistant can be a real struggle.
This is exactly the problem the CSA (Connectivity Standards Alliance) set out to solve with the launch of the Matter protocol. Its principle is straightforward: one connectivity standard for all systems. Whether you rely on Apple Home, Philips Hue, or Amazon Alexa, Matter makes it possible for these devices to work together seamlessly.
Did you know that Matter has already gained traction with hundreds of certified devices and broad industry support in just three years since its 2022 launch?
Curious how that happened, and what it takes for a device to get Matter certification? In this article, we’ll explore what Matter is, how certification works, and share WizzDev’s own experience implementing and testing it in real-world projects.
What is Matter protocol?
Matter is basically a smart home protocol that enables devices from different brands to work together. It creates a common language for smart lights, thermostats, locks, sockets and much more.This means that you can use and connect different smart devices using just one app instead of four for different companies. While you might think that we already have smart home apps from Apple or Google HomeKit, to make everything work we have to stick to one ecosystem.
However, this problem doesn’t exist with Matter. Setup is faster because we don’t have to use different apps to pair devices. Until the introduction of Matter, the process usually involved buying a new device and connecting it to a manufacturer’s app before adding it to your Apple or Google smart home app. Now, you just scan a code and add it to your Home Assistant app. One step less!
Thanks to the built-in end-to-end encryption and device attestation, devices are also more secure. Matter runs over IP (Wi-Fi, Ethernet and Thread) and uses Bluetooth Low Energy for setup. And because it’s open source and backed by the CSA, it keeps expanding. Matter certified devices will work across ecosystems, so you can mix and match brands without worrying about compatibility.
In short, Matter makes the smart home simpler, safer, and more flexible. Its implementation also makes devices more accessible and easier to use for end users.
What devices have the Matter protocol?
Matter is becoming more popular every year, and more manufacturers – including our clients – are adding it to their products. One of our recent implementations for Mill Norway was the Mill Panel Heater Gen 4, the world’s first panel heater with Matter support. Thanks to Matter, users can control the heater’s temperature in the same app they already use for other smart home products, creating a seamless experience.
We also integrated Matter into the Mill Smart Plug Gen 4, which can turn almost any connected appliance into a smart device. Through the app, users can control the plug’s state remotely. An additional benefit is its built-in temperature sensor, which displays the current room temperature in the Mill App – making it easy to adjust the heater no matter where you are.
The benefits of Matter implementation are clear. Customers gain devices that are simple to use, while manufacturers can build products that integrate into any smart home system. There’s no longer a need to create an entire ecosystem from a single brand.
One company can focus on delivering excellent heating and cooling solutions, while another specializes in lighting. Thanks to the Matter protocol, all these devices can now work together seamlessly.
How does Matter certification testing go?
Before a Matter enabled device can reach the market, it must go through strict certification testing. The goal is simple but demanding: ensure that the product meets Matter standards and works reliably across all major ecosystems, including Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home.
To achieve this, we used the Matter Test Harness, an open-source tool maintained by the Connectivity Standards Alliance and available on GitHub. It automates a core part of the testing process, covering onboarding, network behavior, and security features. The harness supports both Wi-Fi and Thread transport, as well as Bluetooth Low Energy for commissioning. By using it early in development, we could catch issues much sooner and make sure the device was ready for lab certification.
Running the tests is largely automated. In practice, it often comes down to setting up the device correctly and hoping it passes. If everything is fine, the process is smooth. But if not, we need to adjust the firmware so the device meets the strict requirements. This is important because Matter devices must operate across all ecosystems. Even a small mistake can cause incompatibility and block certification.
This is where Matter certification testing differs from standard device testing. Normally, a product might only be checked within a single ecosystem, for example Amazon Alexa. With Matter, devices must be tested across multiple ecosystems and follow open specifications. Certification focuses on interoperability, local control, and security at the protocol level — not just on app performance or user experience.
How did it look in WizzDev?
In our latest project, we integrated Matter into the Mill Panel Heater Gen 4 and the Smart Socket Gen 4. To make them compatible, we followed the strict requirements of the protocol and used the official Matter Test Harness to ensure they would pass Matter certification. Once activated in the mobile app, the devices can connect seamlessly with Apple Home, Google Home, or Amazon Alexa — without the need for extra equipment.
Throughout development, we constantly tested the devices across ecosystems. Even small mistakes could result in incompatibility, so every detail mattered. One of the main challenges we faced was re-onboarding after a reset. Some ecosystems rejected the device if the same certificate was reused, treating it as a potential security risk. The issue came from certificates that weren’t being properly cleaned after reset, which caused problems when trying to activate Matter again.
We solved this by adjusting the reset process in both the firmware and the mobile app database, ensuring certificates were fully cleared. It was a combined effort between our firmware team and the mobile app team. Once implemented, the devices passed certification smoothly. The result was a stable Matter implementation that improved compatibility, strengthened security, and delivered a reliable user experience.
Conclusion
So why did hundreds of Matter certified devices appear in just three years? Because the Matter protocol represents the future of smart home appliances. It allows devices from different brands to connect with each other, while companies can focus on their area of specialization without investing in building entire ecosystems. This also means faster time-to-market and a smoother experience for consumers, who can manage all their devices through a single app.
At WizzDev, we see this as the natural direction for smart homes. We have already integrated Matter into real devices, used the official Matter Test Harness, solved certificate-handling issues, and achieved certified implementations that are both stable and secure.
The results are clear: certified devices ready for Apple, Google, and Amazon ecosystems, stronger security, and a better overall user experience. For smaller brands, Matter also opens the door to a wider market, as popularity grows and compatibility becomes the default expectation.
Certification is not a cheap process, but it is an investment worth making. Matter adoption is expanding quickly, and we believe it will continue to grow as the shared standard for connected homes.
