Apple has just taken an important step in simplifying its home automation ecosystem by now accepting Matter certification as sufficient validation to obtain the “Works with Apple Home” badge. This decision marks a significant turning point for manufacturers of connected objects who wish to integrate the Apple ecosystem.
A single certification for all ecosystems
Until now, manufacturers had to go through separate and expensive certification processes for each major platform (Apple HomeKit, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings). The Matter standard was created to unify these certifications, but in reality, each actor continued to require their own additional tests.
Apple is a pioneer by being the first to fully accept test results from the Alliance Interoperability Lab (CSA). Google and Samsung are expected to follow suit later this year for their respective “Works with Google Home” and “Works with SmartThings” badges. Amazon, for its part, is still in discussions with the Alliance to integrate its certification program.
A simplified update process
CSA also announced the launch of the “FastTrack Recertification Program” in November 2024. This new program allows manufacturers to deploy software updates to their existing products more quickly and at a lower cost. Instead of going through a full certification process again, only light vetting is done to ensure updates don’t affect functionality and compatibility with other devices.
“This new approach makes it easier for product manufacturers to release critical fixes to improve their products,” the Alliance said in its press release. Companies can even become certified to perform their own testing using the CSA-approved test suite.
Apple is rarely the company that adopts new technological standards the fastest. This advanced integration of Matter shows to what extent home automation has become very important for Cupertino which, in 2025, should release numerous products in this category such as a connected screen for the home or even a doorbell compatible with Face ID.
These changes mark a major evolution in the home automation industry, significantly simplifying the process of developing and maintaining connected products compatible with the Apple ecosystem. This decision should encourage more manufacturers to adopt the Matter standard and offer HomeKit compatible products, thus enriching the offering available for Apple users and the connected home.
