TP-Link is updating its Matter products to support standardized transmission of energy data. They are receiving a free firmware update to Matter version 1.3. First in line is the Tapo P110M smart plug (pictured above), whose new firmware (version 1.3.2) is already rolling out. This puts it among the small selection of smart plugs that already transmit energy data in the Matter format.
Other TP-Link products such as the Tapo L535E smart bulb or the in-wall relay switch Tapo S112 for lighting and roller shutters are expected to follow. “All Matter-certified devices with energy monitoring will gradually receive firmware updates to support Matter energy reporting,” the company states in its press release (link).
Energy Management in the Matter Standard
Until now, these products have already been able to show energy consumption. However, this was only in TP-Link’s proprietary format via the manufacturer’s Tapo app. As a result, the data wasn’t available for other uses. It couldn’t be read in connected Matter ecosystems or used as a trigger for automations.
The announced software updates now change that and switch energy reporting to the standardized Matter method. Since Matter 1.3, this functionality has been officially specified and forms the basis for future cross-vendor energy management within the Matter standard. The catch: implementation is still lagging. Neither Amazon, Apple, nor Google currently make any use of this energy data.
Among the major commercial ecosystems, only Samsung SmartThings offers energy management. The open-source software Home Assistant is similarly advanced in implementing the specifications. This is probably why TP-Link only mentions these two platforms as compatible solutions in its description..
In practice, there’s more: Aqara Home and Homey Pro can also display energy data from Matter devices. Ikea has recently added this capability in a beta version via a firmware update to its Dirigera Hub. However, functionality still varies widely. What works – and what doesn’t – depends, as so often with Matter, on the controller being used.
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