Dutch smart home specialist Athom has rolled out an update (link) for its Homey platform. What stands out about software version 13.1.x is primarily one thing: a significant expansion of Matter functionality. EV chargers, water heaters, dishwashers, laundry dryers, microwaves, and ovens have all been added – device categories that belong to the standard inventory of a modern home. Robotic vacuum cleaner integration now includes zone control, meaning specific areas of the home can be targeted remotely. And remotely controllable Matter valves may well come in handy for garden irrigation.
Solving the Chicken-and-Egg Problem
The home appliances front could use a tailwind. Despite being part of the Matter specification since versions 1.2 and 1.3, there are hardly any products on the market to speak of – with a few exceptions such as Bosch refrigerators and robotic vacuums. It’s a classic chicken-and-egg problem: appliance manufacturers feel little motivation to build Matter support into their washing machines or ovens as long as those devices can’t be integrated into platforms. And platforms, in turn, have little incentive to implement device types for which no certified hardware exists.
Until now, broad Matter support for home appliances has largely been the domain of SmartThings – which isn’t surprising given Samsung’s traditional business lines – as well as the open-source Home Assistant. With the 13.1.x update, Homey now joins that league. That also makes the manufacturer’s smart home hubs appealing to early adopters who want to be ready for the next generation of devices before it arrives.
The more ecosystems implement these product categories, the clearer the signal to device manufacturers that Matter certification is worth pursuing. Athom alone won’t break the deadlock, but Homey adds another weight to the scale.
Wallboxes are a Long Time Coming
Of all the new additions, support for EV chargers deserves particular attention – and not only because home charging stations for electric vehicles are becoming increasingly common.
Matter 1.3 introduced the EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) category in 2024 as the first device class with a focus on energy management. The goal is a household-wide energy management system (EMS) that coordinates supply and demand across devices: solar panels, battery storage, heat pumps, smart appliances, and the EV charger as one of the largest controllable loads in the home.
Homey already offers extensive features for metering and monitoring energy consumption. Most of that data, however, relies on individual, vendor-specific integrations. A cross-manufacturer solution like Matter fits the concept and could broaden the market – provided enough EV chargers actually receive Matter certification. As of now, the official CSA product registry doesn’t list a single model.
Today’s EV charging systems rely instead on a range of established protocols and interfaces. The industry is well-served by OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol), Modbus (TCP/RTU), HTTP, and local APIs. In Germany and the EU, EEBus also plays a role. For manufacturers to bet on Matter, they need to see a clear benefit – such as seamless, standardized connectivity to a wide range of systems. With Homey’s new software, there’s now one more platform on that list.
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