The Flic Button (link) is a push button for (almost) everything: as a programmable switch, it turns on lights or closes shutters. It starts music at the touch of a button or triggers extensive routines in smart home systems. And from now on, it also takes Matter devices under its wing. Manufacturer Shortcuts Labs has announced the open Matter beta of its Flic Hub.
Matter-capable firmware for the Flic Hub
The hub is the control centre of the Flic system. It receives Bluetooth radio commands from battery-operated Flic Buttons in the household and forwards them to the devices in the IP network via Wi-Fi or Ethernet. The latest software update also gives it Matter Controller capabilities. To check whether the software on the hub has already been updated, just take a look at the current version of the Flic app: if the new Matter actions appear there under systems and so-called actions, the firmware is Matter-capable. If not, the app guides users through the update process and installs the new beta.
For the time being, two product categories are to be switched, explains the Swedish manufacturer: Matter-certified lamps and smart plugs. A “joker” function that can trigger any Matter command on any Matter-enabled devices is also planned for the future. For Matter products that use the Thread wireless protocol, a Border Router is required to establish the connection to the network as usual. “Matter over Wi-Fi” devices can be controlled without this accessory.
The Matter integration was actually supposed to be ready at the beginning of 2023. Shortcuts Labs was one of the first providers to promise a software update in 2022. However, development turned out to be more complex than expected. As the controller SDK was at an early stage, according to the manufacturer, Flic had to develop key parts internally. Strict tests and certifications for each device type and each software update further delayed the release.
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