Amazon Prime Day, which came into being in 2015 to commemorate Amazon’s 20th birthday, will be returning this year, in its ninth edition, from 16-17 July 2024. In 2023, Amazon members – as reported by the company – purchased more than 375 million items, saving $2.5 billion on deals through discounts offered during the two-day period.
This year, members may be considering the benefits of upgrading or improving their home with smart technology. Smart home devices from doorbells to lighting and thermostats offer greater convenience, security and energy efficiency.
The introduction of the Matter standard in 2022 sought to ensure interoperability between smart devices regardless of their brand and in doing so, is striving to enable a world where consumers can switch between smart devices with ease. IoT Insider will run through the top Matter-compliant smart home devices to buy this Prime Day.
Amazon Echo
The Amazon Echo, now in its fourth generation, is a Matter-compliant device capable of acting as a central hub which allows it to connect and manage other Matter-compliant devices directly. It uses the well-known voice assistant, Alexa.
From June 2024, Amazon said that Matter-enabled Echo devices support the Matter 1.2 protocol; Matter over Wi-Fi and Matter over Thread, a wireless mesh networking technology.
As a tip, look out for Echo bundles that include Matter-compliant smart plugs or bulbs to start your smart home ecosystem efficiently.
Philips Hue Bridge
The Philips Hue Bridge is Matter-compliant smart lighting system, which adjustable brightness and colour via a smartphone app.
All Philips Hue lights and smart accessories including dimmer switches and smart buttons are Matter-compliant provided they are connected with the Philips Hue Bridge.
As a tip, look for deals that include Matter-compliant bulbs or accessories to expand your lighting setup.
Google Nest
The Google Nest Hub operates as a controller, controlling other smart devices via Google Assistant. It can be used to manage a wide array of devices including lights, locks and cameras.
Google announced in December 2022 that the Matter standard was available on its Google Nest and Android devices, explaining that it had been part of the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) in developing the standard, working alongside 300 companies for nearly three years (at the time of the announcement).
As a tip, look out for bundles that include the Nest Hub with other Google Nest products.
Eve Energy Smart Plug
This smart plug enables the user to monitor the energy consumption of connected devices and provides insights into energy usage and patterns. Schedules can be set and appliances can be controlled remotely using a remote control feature.
The plug requires a hub that supports both Thread and Matter to be set up, at which point the device can be added.
As a tip, multipacks offer more value than buying a single smart plug on its own, creating the possibility of automating multiple appliances throughout your home.
Aqara Door and Window Sensor
These Matter-compliant sensors provide real-time alerts if doors or windows are opened unexpectedly which means they have the potential to be smoothly integrated into Matter-compliant security systems.
According to Aqara, it was one of the first sensors to support Matter natively, connecting to APple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings and Aqara Home in the near future.
As a tip, look for multi-sensor packs to ensure multiple entry points in your home.
Google Nest Thermostat
The Google Nest thermostat is, reportedly, one of the few smart thermostats that supports the Matter standard. Its settings can be adjusted anywhere using the Google Home app.
It uses AI to learn a user’s schedule and temperature preferences, subsequently adjusting temperatures accordingly over time.
According to a post on Google’s community blog, the Nest Thermostat received the update in April 2023. The device came out in 2020.
As a tip, look for bundles with additional room sensors.
There’s plenty of other editorial on our sister site, Electronic Specifier! Or you can always join in the conversation by commenting below or visiting our LinkedIn page.
