Google’s Nest Thermostat gets Matter support

The new Matter standard finally seems to be getting momentum, with Google announcing a Matter update for the popular Nest Thermostat.

According to a post on the Google Nest Community blog, the Matter update will roll out to the Nest Thermostat “over the next few weeks,” starting today.

It’s worth noting that the Matter update is just for 2020’s Nest Thermostat, not the Nest Learning Thermostat. A Google rep told The Verge that it’s “exploring” bringing Matter support to the Nest Learning Thermostat and the older Nest Thermostat E.

This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart thermostats.

With the arrival of Matter support for the Nest Thermostat, you’ll finally be able to control the unit using Apple Home, which is (along with Amazon’s Alexa, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings) among the smart home ecosystems that offer Matter compatibility.

As The Verge notes, you’ll need a Matter pairing code to add the Nest Thermostat to Apple Home. You can get the Matter code from the Android version of the Google Home app (the iOS version of Google Home doesn’t support Matter yet), or you can snag the code from the thermostat itself.

News of the Matter update for the Nest Thermostat comes after a fitful start for the nascent standard, which debuted last fall with the promise of uniting the big smart home ecosystems.

While a wide range of Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit hubs will now act as Matter controllers, only a handful of actual Matter-enabled devices have hit the market, and there have been some notable delays in Matter development.

Last month, Belkin announced that its Wemo smart home brand would take a “big step back” from Matter, and would only resume developing Matter-enabled products if it could “find a way to differentiate” its smart devices.

Shortly after, Philips Hue said it needed “a little more time than originally planned” before releasing a Matter update for the Hue Bridge, noting that “we always focus on convincing quality to meet our customers’ expectations.”

That said, there has been positive news on the Matter front, including word that Eve has released its first “out-of-the-box” Matter devices, including Matter-ready versions of the Eve Energy smart plug, the Eve Door and Window sensor, and the Eve Motion sensor.

Meanwhile, Nanoleaf just began shipping two Matter-enabled products from its Essentials line, including an A19 smart bulb and a light strip.