Nuki, Austrian specialist in connected locks, informs about the arrival of Matter within its reach. First, let’s get the bad news out of the way: current products will be exempted from this, the new home automation standard will be reserved for a new range that will be presented by the end of the year. If you have an older generation lock, it will not benefit from a software update to enable Matter.
The author points out that this photo does not provide any conclusions about the actual functionality of the connected locks sold by the manufacturer (image Nuki).
This may be explained by the decision to adopt Thread in addition to Matter in these new versions. Until then, Nuki locks communicated either via Bluetooth or WLAN for Pro 3.0. Thread is a wireless communication protocol for home automation that has the advantage of using significantly less energy than WiFi while offering a much greater range than Bluetooth. Conversely, a Thread border router is required, but you probably already have one, especially if you have a recent HomePod or Apple TV with an Ethernet jack.
Thread takes care of the hardware part, Matter takes care of the software. The two should not be confused, although they are often used together, as Nuki proves again with its new locks.
Everything you need to know about Matter and Thread, the two new home automation standards that are not to be confused
The manufacturer also states that an update of Matter will be required in order to be able to use the connected barriers. However, SwitchBot has enabled Matter for its own connected lock for a few weeks now, but Nuki’s products are able to manage openings that are unlocked with a deadbolt that keeps the door closed even after the lock is unlocked. This subtlety was not taken into account in the Matter protocol and Nuki worked with the CSA responsible for it to add it.
This update for Matter is expected in the fall and the new Nuki locks will undoubtedly be released at the same time. We don’t yet know what prices to expect for this Thread and Matter generation. We also don’t know if these locks will only be Matter or remain natively compatible with HomeKit, but the first hypothesis is the most credible since it will not change anything to benefit from the lock in the Home app and through Siri.
Nuki Smart Lock Pro 3.0 in the test: The networked lock that has everything under control